Bildad’s Second Speech

¹ Then¹ Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

1. Hebrew “And”

² “⌞How long⌟¹ ⌞will you² hunt for words⌟?³ Consider,⁴ and afterward we shall speak.

1. Literally “Until when”
2. Plural
3. Literally “will you set a snare for words”
4. Or “you should consider”; plural second person

³ Why are we considered as animals? Why are we taken as¹ stupid in your² eyes?

1. Or “considered”
2. Plural

⁴ “You who are tearing ⌞yourself⌟¹ in your² anger, will the earth be forsaken because of you?³ Or⁴ will the rock be removed from its place?

1. Literally “his soul,” or “his individual self”
2. Hebrew “his”
3. Singular
4. Hebrew “And”

⁵ Furthermore,¹ the light of the wicked is put out, and the flame of his fire will not shine.

1. Or “Also”

⁶ The light becomes dark in his tent, and his lamp above him is put out.

⁷ “⌞His strong steps⌟¹ are shortened, and his own schemes² throw him down,

1. Literally “The steps of his power”
2. Collective singular

⁸ for he is thrust into a net by his feet, and he walks into a pitfall.

⁹ A trap seizes him by the heel; a snare takes hold of him.

¹⁰ His rope is hidden in the ground, and his trap on the path.

¹¹ “Sudden terrors terrify him all around, and they chase him at his heels.

¹² His wealth will become hunger, and disaster is ready for his stumbling.

¹³ It consumes parts of his skin; the firstborn of death consumes his limbs.

¹⁴ He is torn from his tent ⌞in which he trusted⌟,¹ and it brought him to the king of terrors.

1. Literally “his trust”

¹⁵ “⌞Nothing⌟¹ remains for him in his tent; sulfur is scattered upon his dwelling place.

1. Literally “From not”

¹⁶ His roots dry up ⌞below⌟,¹ and its branches² wither away above.³

1. Literally “from under”
2. Singular collective
3. Hebrew “from above”

¹⁷ His remembrance perishes from the earth, and there is not a name for him on the street.

¹⁸ “They thrust him from light into darkness, and they drive him out from the world.

¹⁹ There is no offspring for him nor¹ a descendant among his people, and there is not a survivor in his abode.

1. Hebrew “and not”

²⁰ Those of the west are appalled over ⌞his fate⌟,¹ and those of the east ⌞are seized with horror⌟.²

1. Literally “his day”
2. Literally “they seize horror”

²¹ Surely these are the dwellings of the godless, and this is the dwelling place of him who knows not God.”