Job 8:16-19 - Compare All Versions

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

He grows green in the sun, And his branches spread out in his garden. His roots wrap around the rock heap, And look for a place in the stones. If he is destroyed from his place, Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’ “Behold, this is the joy of His way, And out of the earth others will grow.

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

“He flourishes before the sun, And his shoots spread out over his garden. “His roots wrap around a rock pile, He grasps a house of stones. “If he is removed from his place, Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’ “Behold, this is the joy of His way; And out of the dust others will spring.

“He thrives and prospers [like a green plant] before the sun, And his branches spread out over his garden. “His [godless] roots are wrapped around a pile of rocks, And he gazes at a house of stones. “If he is snatched from his place [in the garden], Then his place will forget him, saying, ‘I have never seen you.’ “Behold, this is the joy of His way; And from out of the dust others will spring up and grow [to take his place].

He is a well-watered plant in the sun, its shoots spread over its garden. It wraps its roots around a heap of stones and it looks for a place among stones. If he is uprooted from his place, then that place will disown him, saying, ‘I have never seen you!’ Indeed, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth others spring up.