Job 28
1 Sølvet har jo sit Leje, som renses, sit Sted,
Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;
2 Jern hentes op af Jorden, og Sten smeltes om til Kobber.
Iron from the dust is taken, And [from] the firm stone brass.
3 Paa Mørket gør man en Ende og ransager indtil de dybeste Kroge Mørkets og Mulmets Sten;
An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, 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 hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.
5 Af Jorden fremvokser Brød, imedens dens Indre omvæltes som af Ild;
The earth! from it cometh forth bread, 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 hath dust of gold.
7 Stien derhen er Rovfuglen ukendt, Falkens Øje udspejder den ikke;
A path — not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,
8 den trædes ikke af stolte Vilddyr, Løven skrider ej frem ad den.
Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.
9 Paa Flinten lægger man Haand og omvælter Bjerge fra Roden;
Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.
10 i Klipperne hugger man Gange, alskens Klenodier skuer Øjet;
Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.
11 man tilstopper Strømmenes Kilder og bringer det skjulte for Lyset.
From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out [to] light.
12 Men Visdommen — hvor mon den findes, og hvor er Indsigtens Sted?
And the wisdom — whence 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 hath 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 hath said, 'It [is] not in me,' And the sea hath 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,
Not equal it do gold and crystal, 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.
Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.
20 Men Visdommen — hvor mon den kommer fra, og hvor er Indsigtens Sted?
And the wisdom — whence doth it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
21 Den er dulgt for alt levendes Øje og skjult for Himmelens Fugle;
It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath 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 hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.
24 thi han skuer til Jordens Ender, alt under Himmelen ser han.
For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,
25 Dengang han fastsatte Vindens Vægt og maalte Vandet med Maal,
To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out 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 hath seen and declareth it, He hath 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 saith to man: — 'Lo, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.'
