Job 28
1 Silver has its fissures where it is first found, and gold has a place where it is melted.
For there is a place for the silver, whence it comes, and a place for the gold, whence it is refined.
2 Iron is taken from the earth, and ore, unbound by heat, is turned into brass.
For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone.
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.
He has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone [is] darkness, and the shadow of death.
4 The burning separates a pilgrim people from those who have been forgotten by the feet of the destitute man and from the unapproachable.
There is a cutting off the torrent by reason of dust: so they that forget the right way are weakened; they are removed from [among] men.
5 The land, where bread appeared in its place, has been destroyed by fire.
[As for] the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire.
6 Its stones are embedded with sapphires, and its soil, with gold.
Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and [her] dust [supplies] man with gold.
7 The bird does not know its path, nor has the eye of the vulture beheld it.
[There is] a path, the fowl has not known it, neither has the eye of the vulture seen it:
8 The sons of merchants have not walked there, nor has the lioness traveled through it.
neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it.
9 He has stretched out his hand to the rocks; he has overturned the foundations of the mountains.
He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp [rock], and turned up mountains by the roots:
10 He has cut rivers through the rocks, and his eye has seen all precious things.
and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers, and mine eye has seen every precious thing.
11 The depths of rivers he has also examined, and he has brought hidden things into the light.
And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.
12 But, in truth, where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?
But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?
13 Man does not know its price, nor is it found in the land of those who live in sweetness.
A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered among men.
14 The abyss declares, “It is not in me.” And the sea says, “It is not with me.”
The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.
15 The finest gold will not be paid for it, nor will silver be weighed in exchange for it.
One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
16 It will not be compared with the dyed colors of India, nor with the very costly stone sardonyx, nor with the sapphire.
Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire.
17 Neither gold nor crystal will be its equal; neither will vessels of gold be fitted for it.
Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it, neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange.
18 The exalted and the eminent will not be remembered in comparison with it. Yet wisdom is drawn out of concealment.
Coral and fine pearl shall not be mentioned: but do you esteem wisdom above the most precious things.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia will not be equal to it, nor will it be compared to the purest dyes.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equalled to it; it shall not be compared with pure gold.
20 So then, where does wisdom begin, and where is the place of understanding?
Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?
21 It has been hidden from the eyes of all living things, just as the birds of the heavens escape notice.
It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky.
22 Perdition and death have said, “With our ears, we have heard its fame.”
Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it.
23 God understands its way, and he knows its location.
God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it.
24 For he beholds the limits of the world, and he looks upon all things that are under heaven.
For he surveys the whole [earth] under heaven, knowing the things in the earth:
25 He created a counterweight for the winds, and he suspended the waters to measure them.
all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.
26 At that time, he gave a law to the rain and a path to the resounding storms.
When he made [them], thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder.
27 Then he saw and explained it, and he made ready and examined it.
Then he saw it, and declared it: he prepared it [and] traced it out.
28 And he said to man, “Behold the fear of the Lord. Such is wisdom. And to withdraw from evil, this is understanding.”
And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.
