Job 28
1 Sølvet har jo sit Leje, som renses, sit Sted,
“Surely there is a source for silver, And a place for the gold they refine;
2 Jern hentes op af Jorden, og Sten smeltes om til Kobber.
Iron is taken from the dust, And bronze [from] the firm stone.
3 Paa Mørket gør man en Ende og ransager indtil de dybeste Kroge Mørkets og Mulmets Sten;
He has set an end to darkness, And he is searching to all perfection, A stone of darkness and death-shade.
4 man bryder en Skakt under Foden, og glemte, foruden Fodfæste, hænger de svævende fjernt fra Mennesker.
A stream has broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, they wandered from man.
5 Af Jorden fremvokser Brød, imedens dens Indre omvæltes som af Ild;
The earth! Bread comes forth from it, And its under-part is turned like fire.
6 i Stenen der sidder Safiren, og der er Guldstøv i den.
A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it has dust of gold.
7 Stien derhen er Rovfuglen ukendt, Falkens Øje udspejder den ikke;
A path—a ravenous bird has not known it, Nor has an eye of the falcon scorched it,
8 den trædes ikke af stolte Vilddyr, Løven skrider ej frem ad den.
Nor have the sons of pride trodden it, The fierce lion has not passed over it.
9 Paa Flinten lægger man Haand og omvælter Bjerge fra Roden;
He sent forth his hand against the flint, He overturned mountains from the root.
10 i Klipperne hugger man Gange, alskens Klenodier skuer Øjet;
Among rocks, he has cleaved brooks, And his eye has seen every precious thing.
11 man tilstopper Strømmenes Kilder og bringer det skjulte for Lyset.
He has bound overflowing rivers, And the hidden thing brings out [to] light.
12 Men Visdommen — hvor mon den findes, og hvor er Indsigtens Sted?
And the wisdom—from where is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
13 Mennesket kender ikke dens Vej, den findes ej i de levendes Land;
Man has not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.
14 Dybet siger: »I mig er den ikke!« Havet: »Ej heller hos mig!«
The deep has said, It [is] not in me, And the sea has said, It is not with me.
15 Man faar den ej for det fineste Guld, for Sølv kan den ikke købes,
Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed—its price.
16 den opvejes ikke med Ofirguld, med kostelig Sjoham eller Safir;
It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,
17 Guld og Glar kan ej maale sig med den, den faas ej i Bytte for gyldne Kar,
Gold and crystal do not equal it, Nor [is] its exchange a vessel of fine gold.
18 Krystal og Koraller ikke at nævne. At eje Visdom er mere end Perler,
Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom [is] above rubies.
19 Ætiopiens Topas kan ej maale sig med den, den opvejes ej med det rene Guld.
The topaz of Cush does not equal it, It is not valued with pure gold.
20 Men Visdommen — hvor mon den kommer fra, og hvor er Indsigtens Sted?
And the wisdom—from where does it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
21 Den er dulgt for alt levendes Øje og skjult for Himmelens Fugle;
It has been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the bird of the heavens It has been hidden.
22 Afgrund og Død maa sige: »Vi hørte kun tale derom.«
Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard its fame.
23 Gud er kendt med dens Vej, han ved, hvor den har sit Sted;
God has understood its way, And He has known its place.
24 thi han skuer til Jordens Ender, alt under Himmelen ser han.
For He looks to the ends of the earth, He sees under the whole heavens,
25 Dengang han fastsatte Vindens Vægt og maalte Vandet med Maal,
To make a weight for the wind, And He meted out the waters in measure.
26 da han satte en Lov for Regnen, afmærked Tordenskyen dens Vej,
In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,
27 da skued og mønstred han den, han stilled den op og ransaged den.
Then He has seen and declares it, He has prepared it, and also searched it out,
28 Men til Mennesket sagde han: »Se, HERRENS Frygt, det er Visdom, at sky det onde er Indsigt.«
And He says to man: Behold, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.”
