Job 28
1 “Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.
“It is true that there are places where men dig to find silver, and there are places where people refine/purify gold [that they have dug].
2 Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.
People dig iron [ore] out of the ground, and they (smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it).
3 Man puts an end to the darkness; he probes the farthest recesses for ore in deepest darkness.
Men use lamps while they work far down under the ground to search for the ore inside the mines where it is very dark.
4 Far from human habitation he cuts a shaft in places forgotten by the foot of man. Far from men he dangles and sways.
They dig (shafts/narrow holes very deep down into the ground) in places that are far from where people live, where travelers do not go. They work far away from [other] people, swinging back and forth on ropes [as they descend into the mine shafts].
5 Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire.
Food grows on the surface of the ground, but down under the ground, [where there is no food, ] the miners make fires to break apart the rocks.
6 Its rocks are the source of sapphires, containing flecks of gold.
The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
7 No bird of prey knows that path; no falcon’s eye has seen it.
[Some birds have very good eyes, ] but even hawks do not know [where the mines are], and falcons/vultures have not seen those places.
8 Proud beasts have never trodden it; no lion has ever prowled over it.
Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
9 The miner strikes the flint; he overturns mountains at their base.
Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
10 He hews out channels in the rocks, and his eyes spot every treasure.
They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
11 He stops up the sources of the streams to bring what is hidden to light.
They dam up small streams in order that water does not flow, and they bring up into the light valuable things that are hidden [in the ground and in the streams].
12 But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding dwell?
“But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
13 No man can know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living.
Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
14 The ocean depths say, ‘It is not in me,’ while the sea declares, ‘It is not with me.’
[It is as though] water that is deep [inside the earth] and [water that is in] the seas say [PRS], ‘Wisdom is not here!’
15 It cannot be bought with gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver.
[People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.
Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare to it, nor jewels of fine gold be exchanged for it.
It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
18 Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
19 Topaz from Cush cannot compare to it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.
The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
20 From where then does wisdom come, and where does understanding dwell?
“So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the air.
No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
22 Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor about it.’
[It is as though] the places where people go after they die say [PRS], ‘We have only heard rumors about [where to find wisdom].’
23 But God understands its way, and He knows its place.
God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
24 For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
because he can see things even in the most remote/distant places on the earth; he can see everything that is below the sky.
25 When God fixed the weight of the wind and measured out the waters,
When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
26 when He set a limit for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt,
and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
27 then He looked at wisdom and appraised it; He established it and searched it out.
at that time he saw wisdom and decided that it is extremely valuable. He examined it and (approved it/said that it was very good).
28 And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
And [then] he said to humans, ‘Listen! To have an awesome respect for me is [what will enable you to become] wise; and to truly understand everything, you must first turn away from doing what is evil.’”
