Job 28
1 Sølvet har jo sit Leje, som renses, sit Sted,
For truly there is a source for the silver, and a place for the gold which men refine.
2 Jern hentes op af Jorden, og Sten smeltes om til Kobber.
Iron is taken out of the dust, and the stone is melted into copper.
3 Paa Mørket gør man en Ende og ransager indtil de dybeste Kroge Mørkets og Mulmets Sten;
An end doth he set to darkness, and the very utmost limit doth he search out, the stones of darkness, and of the shadow of death.
4 man bryder en Skakt under Foden, og glemte, foruden Fodfæste, hænger de svævende fjernt fra Mennesker.
He breaketh a channel far from the inhabited place; those of unsteady foot, the poorest of men move [there about].
5 Af Jorden fremvokser Brød, imedens dens Indre omvæltes som af Ild;
The earth, out of which cometh forth bread, is under its surface turned up as it were with fire.
6 i Stenen der sidder Safiren, og der er Guldstøv i den.
Her stones are the place whence the sapphire cometh; and golden dust is also there;
7 Stien derhen er Rovfuglen ukendt, Falkens Øje udspejder den ikke;
[On the] path which no bird of prey knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not surveyed;
8 den trædes ikke af stolte Vilddyr, Løven skrider ej frem ad den.
[Which] ravenous beasts have never trodden, over which the lion hath never passed.
9 Paa Flinten lægger man Haand og omvælter Bjerge fra Roden;
To the flinty rock he stretcheth forth his hand; he overturneth the mountains from the root.
10 i Klipperne hugger man Gange, alskens Klenodier skuer Øjet;
Amid rocks he heweth out canals: and every precious thing doth his eye behold.
11 man tilstopper Strømmenes Kilder og bringer det skjulte for Lyset.
The various droppings of water he uniteth into streams, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
12 Men Visdommen — hvor mon den findes, og hvor er Indsigtens Sted?
But wisdom—where shall she he found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Mennesket kender ikke dens Vej, den findes ej i de levendes Land;
Man knoweth not her value: and she is not to be found in the land of the living.
14 Dybet siger: »I mig er den ikke!« Havet: »Ej heller hos mig!«
The deep saith, Not in me is she: and the sea saith, She is not with me.
15 Man faar den ej for det fineste Guld, for Sølv kan den ikke købes,
No fine gold can be given in lieu of her, and silver cannot be weighed out as her price.
16 den opvejes ikke med Ofirguld, med kostelig Sjoham eller Safir;
She cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 Guld og Glar kan ej maale sig med den, den faas ej i Bytte for gyldne Kar,
She cannot be estimated after gold and glass; and not in exchange for her [can] vessels of refined gold [be taken.]
18 Krystal og Koraller ikke at nævne. At eje Visdom er mere end Perler,
Coral and crystal will not be thought of; and the value of wisdom is above pearls.
19 Ætiopiens Topas kan ej maale sig med den, den opvejes ej med det rene Guld.
She cannot be estimated after the topaz of Ethiopia, nor can she be valued with pure gold.
20 Men Visdommen — hvor mon den kommer fra, og hvor er Indsigtens Sted?
But wisdom—whence cometh she? and where is the place of understanding?
21 Den er dulgt for alt levendes Øje og skjult for Himmelens Fugle;
Yea, she is hidden from the eyes of all living, and from the fowls of the heavens is she concealed.
22 Afgrund og Død maa sige: »Vi hørte kun tale derom.«
Perdition and death say, With our ears have we heard a report of her.
23 Gud er kendt med dens Vej, han ved, hvor den har sit Sted;
God [alone] understandeth her way, and he knoweth her place;
24 thi han skuer til Jordens Ender, alt under Himmelen ser han.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, [whatever is] under the whole heaven doth he see.
25 Dengang han fastsatte Vindens Vægt og maalte Vandet med Maal,
When he imparted weight unto the wind; and [when] the waters he established by measure;
26 da han satte en Lov for Regnen, afmærked Tordenskyen dens Vej,
When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the lightning of [his] thunders;
27 da skued og mønstred han den, han stilled den op og ransaged den.
Then did he see her, and make her known; he established her, and also searched her out.
28 Men til Mennesket sagde han: »Se, HERRENS Frygt, det er Visdom, at sky det onde er Indsigt.«
And he said unto man, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to eschew evil is understanding.
