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 mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.
2 For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.
3 He has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone [is] darkness, and the shadow of death.
Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.
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.
He breaks open a shaft away from where people live. They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.
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. Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
6 Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and [her] dust [supplies] man with gold.
Sapphires come from its rocks. 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:
That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon’s eye seen it.
8 neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it.
The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.
9 He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp [rock], and turned up mountains by the roots:
He puts his hand on the flinty rock, and 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 channels amongst the rocks. 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 streams that they don’t trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
12 But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?
“But where will wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
13 A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered amongst men.
Man doesn’t know its price, and it isn’t 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 deep says, ‘It isn’t in me.’ The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’
15 One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
It can’t be gotten for gold, neither will silver be weighed for its price.
16 Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire.
It can’t 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.
Gold and glass can’t equal it, neither will it be exchanged 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 will be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, 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 will not equal it. It won’t be valued with pure gold.
20 Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?
Where then does wisdom come from? 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 hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky.
22 Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it.
Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumour of it with our ears.’
23 God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it.
“God understands its way, and he knows its place.
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 sky.
25 all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.
He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures out 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 he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.
28 And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.
To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”
