8 "Ask the former generation and find out what their ancestors learned, 9 for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow. 10 Will they not instruct you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding? 11 Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water? 12 While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass. 13 Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. 14 What they trust in is fragile[1] ; what they rely on is a spider's web. 15 They lean on the web, but it gives way; they cling to it, but it does not hold. 16 They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden; 17 it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks and looks for a place among the stones. 18 But when it is torn from its spot, that place disowns it and says, 'I never saw you.' 19 Surely its life withers away, and[2] from the soil other plants grow.

Other Translations of Job 8:8-19

King James Version

8 For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers: 9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days nothing: Heb. not upon earth are a shadow:) 10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart? 11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? 12 Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. 13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish: 14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web. web: Heb. house 15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure. 16 He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden. 17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones. 18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee. 19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

English Standard Version

8 "For inquire, please, of bygone ages, and consider what the fathers have searched out. 9 For we are but of yesterday and know nothing, for our days on earth are a shadow. 10 Will they not teach you and tell you and utter words out of their understanding? 11 "Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Can reeds flourish where there is no water? 12 While yet in flower and not cut down, they wither before any other plant. 13 Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless shall perish. 14 His confidence is severed, and his trust is a spider's web.Hebrew house 15 He leans against his house, but it does not stand; he lays hold of it, but it does not endure. 16 He is a lush plant before the sun, and his shoots spread over his garden. 17 His roots entwine the stone heap; he looks upon a house of stones. 18 If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, 'I have never seen you.' 19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the soil others will spring.

The Message

8 "Put the question to our ancestors, study what they learned from their ancestors. 9 For we're newcomers at this, with a lot to learn, and not too long to learn it. 10 So why not let the ancients teach you, tell you what's what, instruct you in what they knew from experience? 11 Can mighty pine trees grow tall without soil? Can luscious tomatoes flourish without water? 12 Blossoming flowers look great before they're cut or picked, but without soil or water they wither more quickly than grass. 13 That's what happens to all who forget God - all their hopes come to nothing. 14 They hang their life from one thin thread, they hitch their fate to a spider web. 15 One jiggle and the thread breaks, one jab and the web collapses. 16 Or they're like weeds springing up in the sunshine, invading the garden, 17 Spreading everywhere, overtaking the flowers, getting a foothold even in the rocks. 18 But when the gardener rips them out by the roots, the garden doesn't miss them one bit. 19 The sooner the godless are gone, the better; then good plants can grow in their place.

New King James Version

8 "For inquire, please, of the former age, And consider the things discovered by their fathers; 9 For we were born yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days on earth are a shadow. 10 Will they not teach you and tell you, And utter words from their heart? 11 "Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the reeds flourish without water? 12 While it is yet green and not cut down, It withers before any other plant. 13 So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish, 14 Whose confidence shall be cut off, And whose trust is a spider's web. 15 He leans on his house, but it does not stand. He holds it fast, but it does not endure. 16 He grows green in the sun, And his branches spread out in his garden. 17 His roots wrap around the rock heap, And look for a place in the stones. 18 If he is destroyed from his place, Then it will deny him, saying, 'I have not seen you.' 19 "Behold, this is the joy of His way, And out of the earth others will grow.

New Living Translation

8 "Just ask the previous generation. Pay attention to the experience of our ancestors. 9 For we were born but yesterday and know nothing. Our days on earth are as fleeting as a shadow. 10 But those who came before us will teach you. They will teach you the wisdom of old. 11 "Can papyrus reeds grow tall without a marsh? Can marsh grass flourish without water? 12 While they are still flowering, not ready to be cut, they begin to wither more quickly than grass. 13 The same happens to all who forget God. The hopes of the godless evaporate. 14 Their confidence hangs by a thread. They are leaning on a spider's web. 15 They cling to their home for security, but it won't last. They try to hold it tight, but it will not endure. 16 The godless seem like a lush plant growing in the sunshine, its branches spreading across the garden. 17 Its roots grow down through a pile of stones; it takes hold on a bed of rocks. 18 But when it is uprooted, it's as though it never existed! 19 That's the end of its life, and others spring up from the earth to replace it.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 8:8-19

Commentary on Job 8:8-19

(Read Job 8:8-19)

Bildad discourses well of hypocrites and evil-doers, and the fatal end of all their hopes and joys. He proves this truth of the destruction of the hopes and joys of hypocrites, by an appeal to former times. Bildad refers to the testimony of the ancients. Those teach best that utter words out of their heart, that speak from an experience of spiritual and divine things. A rush growing in fenny ground, looking very green, but withering in dry weather, represents the hypocrite's profession, which is maintained only in times of prosperity. The spider's web, spun with great skill, but easily swept away, represents a man's pretensions to religion when without the grace of God in his heart. A formal professor flatters himself in his own eyes, doubts not of his salvation, is secure, and cheats the world with his vain confidences. The flourishing of the tree, planted in the garden, striking root to the rock, yet after a time cut down and thrown aside, represents wicked men, when most firmly established, suddenly thrown down and forgotten. This doctrine of the vanity of a hypocrite's confidence, or the prosperity of a wicked man, is sound; but it was not applicable to the case of Job, if confined to the present world.