Baldad on the Ungodly's Hope

Job 8

Baldad the Sauchite answers that the Lord does not pervert justice, suggesting that Job's children perished for their own transgression while Job himself may yet be restored if he is pure. He appeals to the wisdom of earlier generations and likens the ungodly to a reed or rush that withers without water, contrasting this with the Lord's care for the blameless.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonHERE Baldad the Sauchean interposing said,

BrentonThen Baldad the Sauchite answered, and said,

GreekὙπολαβὼν δὲ Βαλδὰδ ὁ Σαυχίτης, λέγει,

KJVThen answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

JPSThen answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:

ThomsonHow long wilt thou speak such things? The breath of thy mouth is profuse in words.

BrentonHow long wilt thou speak these things, how long shall the breath of thy mouth be abundant in words?

GreekΜέχρι τίνος λαλήσεις ταῦτα, πνεῦμα πολυῤῥῆμον τοῦ στόματός σου;

KJVHow long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

JPSHow long wilt thou speak these things, Seeing that the words of thy mouth are as a mighty wind?

ThomsonWill the Lord in judging pass an unrighteous judgment? Or will He who made all things pervert justice?

BrentonWill the Lord be unjust when he judges; or will he that has made all things pervert justice?

GreekΜὴ ὁ Κύριος ἀδικήσει κρίνων; ἢ ὁ τὰ πάντα ποιήσας ταράξει τὸ δίκαιον;

KJVDoth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

JPSDoth God pervert judgment? Or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

ThomsonIf thy children have sinned in His sight, He hath dismissed them for their transgression:

BrentonIf thy sons have sinned before him, he has cast them away because of their transgression.

GreekΕἰ οἱ υἱοί σου ἥμαρτον ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ, ἀπέστειλεν ἐν χειρὶ ἀνομίας αὐτῶν.

KJVIf thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

JPS—

ThomsonBut rise thou betimes and supplicate the Lord Almighty.

BrentonBut be thou early in prayer to the Lord Almighty.

GreekΣὺ δὲ ὄρθριζε πρὸς Κύριον παντοκράτορα δεόμενος.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonIf thou art pure and upright, He will hear thy prayer; and render to thee the reward of righteousness.

BrentonIf thou art pure and true, he will hearken to thy supplication, and will restore to thee the habitation of righteousness.

GreekΕἰ καθαρὸς εἶ καὶ ἀληθινὸς, δεήσεως ἐπακούσεταί σου, ἀποκαταστήσει δέ σοι δίαιταν δικαιοσύνης.

KJVIf thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

JPSIf thou wert pure and upright; Surely now He would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

ThomsonLet thy beginning therefore be ever so small, thy end will be unspeakably great.

BrentonThough then thy beginning should be small, yet thy end should be unspeakably great.

GreekἜσται οὖν τὰ μὲν πρῶτά σου ὀλίγα, τὰ δὲ ἔσχατά σου ἀμύθητα.

KJVThough thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

JPSAnd though thy beginning was small, Yet thy end should greatly increase.

ThomsonFor inquire of the former generation; and search diligently among the race of fathers;

BrentonFor ask of the former generation, and search diligently among the race of our fathers:

GreekἘπερώτησον γὰρ γενεὰν πρώτην, ἐξιχνίασον δὲ κατὰ γένος πατέρων·

KJVFor enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

JPSFor inquire, I pray thee, of the former generation, And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out—

Thomsonfor we are but of yesterday and know nothing—for our life on the earth is but a shadow.

Brenton(for we are of yesterday, and know nothing; for our life upon the earth is a shadow:)

GreekΧθιζοὶ γάρ ἐσμεν, καὶ οὐκ οἴδαμεν· σκιὰ γάρ ἐστιν ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὁ βίος·

KJV(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

JPSFor we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days upon earth are a shadow—

ThomsonWill not they teach thee, and declare; and from the heart utter these maxims:—

Brentonshall not these teach thee, and report to thee, and bring out words from their heart?

GreekἪ οὐχ οὗτοί σε διδάξουσιν καὶ ἀναγγελοῦσι, καὶ ἐκ καρδίας ἐξάξουσι ῥήματα;

KJVShall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

JPSShall not they teach thee, and tell thee, And utter words out of their heart?

ThomsonCan the papyrus grow without water?

BrentonDoes the rush flourish without water, or shall the flag grow up without moisture?

GreekΜὴ θάλλει πάπυρος ἄνευ ὕδατος, ἢ ὑψωθήσεται βούτομον ἄνευ πότου;

KJVCan the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

JPSCan the rush shoot up without mire? Can the reed-grass grow without water?

Thomson—

BrentonWhen it is yet on the root, and though it has not been cut down, does not any herb wither before it has received moisture?

GreekἜτι ὂν ἐπὶ ῥίζης, καὶ οὐ μὴ θερισθῇ, πρὸ τοῦ πιεῖν πᾶσα βοτάνη οὐχὶ ξηραίνεται;

KJVWhilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

JPSWhilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, It withereth before any other herb.

ThomsonSuch therefore shall be the end of all who forget the Lord: for the hope of the ungodly shall perish.

BrentonThus then shall be the end of all that forget the Lord: for the hope of the ungodly shall perish.

GreekΟὕτως τοίνυν ἔσται τὰ ἔσχατα πάντων τῶν ἐπιλανθανομένων τοῦ Κυρίου· ἐλπὶς γὰρ ἀσεβοῦς ἀπολεῖται·

KJVSo are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish:

JPSSo are the paths of all that forget God; And the hope of the godless man shall perish;

ThomsonFor his house shall be uninhabited: and his tent shall fly away like a spider’s web.

BrentonFor his house shall be without inhabitants, and his tent shall prove a spider's web.

GreekἈοίκητος γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἔσται ὁ οἶκος· ἀράχνη δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀποβήσεται ἡ σκηνή.

KJV—

JPSWhose confidence is gossamer, And whose trust is a spider’s web.

ThomsonThough he prop up his house, it cannot stand: Though he take hold of it, it will not abide,

BrentonIf he should prop up his house, it shall not stand: and when he has taken hold of it, it shall not remain.

GreekἘὰν ὑπερείσῃ τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ στῇ· ἐπιλαβομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ ὑπομείνῃ·

KJVHe shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

JPSHe shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand; He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.

Thomsonfor is he somewhat green underneath the sun? Though a tender branch may start up from his rottenness; his bed is on a heap of stones:

BrentonFor it is moist under the sun, and his branch shall come forth out of his dung-heap.

GreekὙγρὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὑπὸ ἡλίου· καὶ ἐκ σαπρίας αὐτοῦ ὁ ῥάδαμνος αὐτοῦ ἐξελεύσεται.

KJVHe is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

JPS—

Thomsonand can he live among flint stones?

BrentonHe lies down upon a gathering of stones, and shall live in the midst of flints.

GreekἘπὶ συναγωγὴν λίθων κοιμᾶται· ἐν δὲ μέσῳ χαλίκων ζήσεται.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonShould he wish to drink, the place will disappoint him. Hast thou not seen such things—that such is the catastrophe of the wicked?

BrentonIf God should destroy him, his place shall deny him. Hast thou not seen such things,

GreekἘὰν καταπίῃ, ὁ τόπος ψεύσεται αὐτόν· οὐχ ἑώρακας τοιαῦτα,

KJVIf he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

JPSIf he be destroyed from his place, Then it shall deny him: ‘I have not seen thee.’

ThomsonBut out of the ground He will cause another to spring up:

Brentonthat such is the overthrow of the ungodly? and out of the earth another shall grow.

Greekὅτι καταστροφὴ ἀσεβοῦς τοιαύτη, ἐκ δὲ γῆς ἄλλον ἀναβλαστήσει.

KJVBehold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

JPS—

Thomsonfor the Lord will not cast off the innocent, nor from the ungodly accept a gift:

BrentonFor the Lord will by no means reject the harmless man; but he will not receive any gift of the ungodly.

GreekὉ γὰρ Κύριος οὐ μὴ ἀποποιήσηται τὸν ἄκακον· πᾶν δὲ δῶρον ἀσεβοῦς οὐ δέξεται.

KJV—

JPS—

Thomsonbut He will fill the mouth of the upright with laughter, and their lips with sons of thanksgiving:

BrentonBut he will fill with laughter the mouth of the sincere, and their lips with thanksgiving.

GreekἈληθινῶν δὲ στόμα ἐμπλήσει γέλωτος, τὰ δὲ χείλη αὐτῶν ἐξομολογήσεως.

KJVTill he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

JPSTill He fill thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with shouting.

Thomson—

BrentonBut their adversaries shall clothe themselves with shame; and the habitation of the ungodly shall perish.

GreekΟἱ δὲ ἐχθροὶ αὐτῶν ἐνδύσονται αἰσχύνην, δίαιτα δὲ ἀσεβοῦς οὐκ ἔσται.

KJV—

JPS—