Job 28
1 Silver has its fissures where it is first found, and gold has a place where it is melted.
銀有出產之地，金有冶煉之所。
2 Iron is taken from the earth, and ore, unbound by heat, is turned into brass.
鐵由土中掘出，銅自石中鎔煉。
3 He has established a time for darkness, and he has settled on an end for all things, as well as for the stone that is in the gloom and shadow of death.
人給黑暗制定了界限，探討幽暗陰晦的堅石，挖至地層深處。
4 The burning separates a pilgrim people from those who have been forgotten by the feet of the destitute man and from the unapproachable.
在無人居住之處開鑿礦穴，上面過路的人，也想不到他們遠離人間，身懸半空，搖擺不定。
5 The land, where bread appeared in its place, has been destroyed by fire.
地上出產食糧，地下有火翻騰。
6 Its stones are embedded with sapphires, and its soil, with gold.
那裏的石頭盡是碧玉，塵沙盡是金沙。
7 The bird does not know its path, nor has the eye of the vulture beheld it.
礦中的幽徑，猛禽不知，鷹眼未見。
8 The sons of merchants have not walked there, nor has the lioness traveled through it.
野獸未踐踏，猛獸未經過。
9 He has stretched out his hand to the rocks; he has overturned the foundations of the mountains.
人伸手擊打燧石，山基為之震撼動搖。
10 He has cut rivers through the rocks, and his eye has seen all precious things.
在巖石中間開鑿隧道，所有珍寶盡入眼簾。
11 The depths of rivers he has also examined, and he has brought hidden things into the light.
探察江河之源流，使寶藏顯露於外。
12 But, in truth, where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?
但是智慧在那裏尋覓，那裏是明智之所在﹖
13 Man does not know its price, nor is it found in the land of those who live in sweetness.
智慧的道路，人不認識，在眾生界尋不到她。
14 The abyss declares, “It is not in me.” And the sea says, “It is not with me.”
深淵說：「她不在我這裏。」海洋說：「她不與我同域。」
15 The finest gold will not be paid for it, nor will silver be weighed in exchange for it.
她非精金所能購買，也不能稱量銀子作她的代價。
16 It will not be compared with the dyed colors of India, nor with the very costly stone sardonyx, nor with the sapphire.
敖非爾金不能與她較量，寶石和碧玉也不能與她相比。
17 Neither gold nor crystal will be its equal; neither will vessels of gold be fitted for it.
黃金與琉璃不能與她同列，純金的器皿也不能與她交換。
18 The exalted and the eminent will not be remembered in comparison with it. Yet wisdom is drawn out of concealment.
珊瑚與水晶都不足論，取得智慧勝過取得珍珠。
19 The topaz of Ethiopia will not be equal to it, nor will it be compared to the purest dyes.
雇士的黃玉不足與她相比，純金也不能與她較量。
20 So then, where does wisdom begin, and where is the place of understanding?
究竟智慧由何處而來，那裏是明智之所在﹖
21 It has been hidden from the eyes of all living things, just as the birds of the heavens escape notice.
眾生的眼目未曾見過，天空的飛鳥也未發現。「
22 Perdition and death have said, “With our ears, we have heard its fame.”
毀滅」與「死亡」都說：「我們只風聞過她的聲望。」
23 God understands its way, and he knows its location.
惟獨天主認識她的道路，惟有他知道她的處所。
24 For he beholds the limits of the world, and he looks upon all things that are under heaven.
因為惟有他觀察地極，俯視天下的一切。
25 He created a counterweight for the winds, and he suspended the waters to measure them.
當他劃定風的重量，規定水的定量，
26 At that time, he gave a law to the rain and a path to the resounding storms.
釐定下雨的季節，規定雷電的路線時，
27 Then he saw and explained it, and he made ready and examined it.
他已見了她，講述了她，立定了她，考察了她。
28 And he said to man, “Behold the fear of the Lord. Such is wisdom. And to withdraw from evil, this is understanding.”
然後對人說：「看，敬畏上主，就是智慧；遠離邪惡，就是明智。」
