Job 28
1 For there is a place for the silver, whence it comes, and a place for the gold, whence it is refined.
Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
2 For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
3 He has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone [is] darkness, and the shadow of death.
He sets an end to darkness, and searches out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
4 There is a cutting off the torrent by reason of dust: so they that forget the right way are weakened; they are removed from [amongst] men.
The flood breaks out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
5 [As for] the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire.
As for the earth, out of it comes bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
6 Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and [her] dust [supplies] man with gold.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it has dust of gold.
7 [There is] a path, the fowl has not known it, neither has the eye of the vulture seen it:
There is a path which no fowl knows, and which the vulture's eye has not seen:
8 neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it.
The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
9 He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp [rock], and turned up mountains by the roots:
He puts forth his hand upon the rock; he overturns the mountains by the roots.
10 and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers, and mine eye has seen every precious thing.
He cuts out rivers among the rocks; and his eye sees every precious thing.
11 And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.
He binds the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid brings he forth to light.
12 But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered amongst men.
Man knows not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.
The depth says, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.
15 One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
It cannot be got for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
16 Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire.
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it, neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange.
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
18 Coral and fine pearl shall not be mentioned: but do you esteem wisdom above the most precious things.
No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equalled to it; it shall not be compared with pure gold.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
20 Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?
Whence then comes wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky.
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
22 Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it.
Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
23 God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it.
God understands the way thereof, and he knows the place thereof.
24 For he surveys the whole [earth] under heaven, knowing the things in the earth:
For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole heaven;
25 all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.
To make the weight for the winds; and he weights the waters by measure.
26 When he made [them], thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder.
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
27 Then he saw it, and declared it: he prepared it [and] traced it out.
Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
28 And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.
And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
