why not use $read?

on :text:!8ball:#: { if ($2 == $null) msg $chan Specify a question!
else msg $chan $read 8ball.txt }

after that just put a file in your irc directory called 8ball.txt
every answer is separed by a new line.
Here some answers i got:
My answer is: cake.
rawr.
Yes.
No.
Maybe.
I think so.
Are you serious?
Are you kidding?
I thought that too.
Damn you're totally right!
Unfortunately, my answer is no.
Hell Yeah!
No way!
F U PAL

-hope that helped ;)