Job 28
1 Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out.
Though there is, for silver, a vein, and a place for the gold they refine;
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire.
Iron, out of the ore, is taken, and, stone, poureth out copper;
3 Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark.
An end, hath one set to the darkness, and, into every extremity, is, he, making search, for the stone of darkness and death-shade;
4 He makes a deep mine far away from those living in the light of day; when they go about on the earth, they have no knowledge of those who are under them, who are hanging far from men, twisting from side to side on a cord.
He hath sunken a shaft, away from the inhabitants; Places forsaken by the foot, they hang down, away from men, sway to and fro;
5 As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire.
As for the earth, out of it, cometh forth bread, and, under it, is upturned, as it were fire;
6 Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.
The place of sapphires, are the stones thereof, and it hath, nuggets of gold: —
7 No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it.
A path, the vulture hath not discerned, nor hath the eye of the hawk scanned it;
8 The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way.
Ravenous beasts have not made a track thereof, neither hath the lion marched thereon:
9 Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots.
Upon the flint, hath he thrust forth his hand, He hath turned up mountains by the roots;
10 He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value.
Among the rocks, hath he cut open streams, and, every precious thing, hath his eye seen:
11 He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light.
From trickling, he restraineth, rivers, and, some hidden thing, is he bringing out to light.
12 But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
Yet where can, Wisdom, be found? And where is the place of understanding?
13 Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living.
Mortal knoweth not the way thereof, neither can it be found in the land of the living;
14 The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.
The resounding deep, hath said, It is not in me! And, the sea, hath said, It is not with me!
15 Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it.
Pure gold cannot be given in its stead, neither can silver he weighed as the value thereof;
16 It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire.
It cannot be put into the scales against the gold of Ophir, with costly onyx, or sapphire;
17 Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold.
Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can, the exchange thereof, be a vessel of pure gold,
18 There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls.
Coral or crystal, cannot be mentioned, Yea, a possession, is wisdom, above red coral;
19 The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold.
The topaz of Ethiopia cannot compare with it, Against purest gold, can it not be weighed.
20 From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
Whence then cometh, wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
21 For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air.
Seeing it hath been hid from the eyes of every living thing, and, from the bird of the heavens, hath it been concealed?
22 Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears.
Destruction and death, have said, With our ears, have we heard the report thereof!
23 God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place;
GOD, understandeth the way thereof, and, he, discerneth the place thereof;
24 For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven.
For, he, unto the ends of the earth, directeth his look, under all the heavens, he seeth;
25 When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters;
Making, for the wind, a weight, and, the waters, he proved by measure,
26 When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;
When he made, for the rain, a decree, and a way for the lightning of thunders,
27 Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely.
Then, saw he it, and declared it, He settled it, yea also he searched it out;
28 And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
And said to the son of earth, Lo! the reverence of the Lord, that, is wisdom, and, to avoid evil, is understanding.
