Job 8:8–19

“For inquire, please, of bygone ages,

and consider what the fathers have searched out.

For we are but of yesterday and know nothing,

for our days on earth are a shadow.

Will they not teach you and tell you

and utter words out of their understanding?

“Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh?

Can reeds flourish where there is no water?

While yet in flower and not cut down,

they wither before any other plant.

Such are the paths of all who forget God;

the hope of the godless shall perish.

His confidence is severed,

and his trust is a spider’s web.

He leans against his house, but it does not stand;

he lays hold of it, but it does not endure.

He is a lush plant before the sun,

and his shoots spread over his garden.

His roots entwine the stone heap;

he looks upon a house of stones.

If he is destroyed from his place,

then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have never seen you.’

Behold, this is the joy of his way,

and out of the soil others will spring.

“Ask the former generation

and find out what their ancestors learned,

for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,

and our days on earth are but a shadow.

Will they not instruct you and tell you?

Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?

Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?

Can reeds thrive without water?

While still growing and uncut,

they wither more quickly than grass.

Such is the destiny of all who forget God;

so perishes the hope of the godless.

What they trust in is fragile;

what they rely on is a spider’s web.

They lean on the web, but it gives way;

they cling to it, but it does not hold.

They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,

spreading its shoots over the garden;

it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks

and looks for a place among the stones.

But when it is torn from its spot,

that place disowns it and says, ‘I never saw you.’

Surely its life withers away,

and from the soil other plants grow.

For ask the previous generation,

and pay attention to what their ancestors discovered,

since we were born only yesterday and know nothing.

Our days on earth are but a shadow.

Will they not teach you and tell you

and speak from their understanding?

Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh?

Do reeds flourish without water?

While still uncut shoots,

they would dry up quicker than any other plant.

Such is the destiny of all who forget God;

the hope of the godless will perish.

His source of confidence is fragile;

what he trusts in is a spider’s web.

He leans on his web, but it doesn’t stand firm.

He grabs it, but it does not hold up.

He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine;

his shoots spread out over his garden.

His roots are intertwined around a pile of rocks.

He looks for a home among the stones.

If he is uprooted from his place,

it will deny knowing him, saying, “I never saw you.”

Surely this is the joy of his way of life;

yet others will sprout from the dust.

“Just ask the previous generation.

Pay attention to the experience of our ancestors.

For we were born but yesterday and know nothing.

Our days on earth are as fleeting as a shadow.

But those who came before us will teach you.

They will teach you the wisdom of old.

“Can papyrus reeds grow tall without a marsh?

Can marsh grass flourish without water?

While they are still flowering, not ready to be cut,

they begin to wither more quickly than grass.

The same happens to all who forget God.

The hopes of the godless evaporate.

Their confidence hangs by a thread.

They are leaning on a spider’s web.

They cling to their home for security, but it won’t last.

They try to hold it tight, but it will not endure.

The godless seem like a lush plant growing in the sunshine,

its branches spreading across the garden.

Its roots grow down through a pile of stones;

it takes hold on a bed of rocks.

But when it is uprooted,

it’s as though it never existed!

That’s the end of its life,

and others spring up from the earth to replace it.

“Indeed, please inquire of former generations,

and consider what their ancestors have found,

for we are of yesterday, and we do not know,

for our days on earth are a shadow.

Will they themselves not teach you and tell you

and utter words from their heart?

Can papyrus grow tall where there is not a marsh?

Will reeds flourish without water?

While it is in its flower and is not plucked,

yet it withers before all grass.

So are the paths of all who forget God;

and the hope of the godless will perish,

whose confidence is cut off

and whose trust is a spider’s house.

He will lean himself against his house, but it will not stand;

he will take hold of it, but it will not endure.

He is thriving before the sun,

and his plant shoots spread over his garden.

His roots twine over a stone heap;

he sees a house of stone.

If he destroys him from his place,

then it deceives him, saying, ‘I have never seen you.’

Look, this is the joy of his way,

and from dust others will spring up.

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age,

And prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing,

Because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee,

And utter words out of their heart?

Can the rush grow up without mire?

Can the flag grow without water?

Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down,

It withereth before any other herb.

So are the paths of all that forget God;

And the hypocrite’s hope shall perish:

Whose hope shall be cut off,

And whose trust shall be a spider’s web.

He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand:

He shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

He is green before the sun,

And his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

His roots are wrapped about the heap,

And seeth the place of stones.

If he destroy him from his place,

Then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

Behold, this is the joy of his way,

And out of the earth shall others grow.