Job 28
1 Silver has its fissures where it is first found, and gold has a place where it is melted.
Though there is, for silver, a vein, and a place for the gold they refine;
2 Iron is taken from the earth, and ore, unbound by heat, is turned into brass.
Iron, out of the ore, is taken, and, stone, poureth out copper;
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.
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 The burning separates a pilgrim people from those who have been forgotten by the feet of the destitute man and from the unapproachable.
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 The land, where bread appeared in its place, has been destroyed 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 embedded with sapphires, and its soil, with gold.
The place of sapphires, are the stones thereof, and it hath, nuggets of gold: —
7 The bird does not know its path, nor has the eye of the vulture beheld it.
A path, the vulture hath not discerned, nor hath the eye of the hawk scanned it;
8 The sons of merchants have not walked there, nor has the lioness traveled through it.
Ravenous beasts have not made a track thereof, neither hath the lion marched thereon:
9 He has stretched out his hand to the rocks; he has overturned the foundations of the mountains.
Upon the flint, hath he thrust forth his hand, He hath turned up mountains by the roots;
10 He has cut rivers through the rocks, and his eye has seen all precious things.
Among the rocks, hath he cut open streams, and, every precious thing, hath his eye seen:
11 The depths of rivers he has also examined, and he has brought hidden things into the light.
From trickling, he restraineth, rivers, and, some hidden thing, is he bringing out to light.
12 But, in truth, where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?
Yet where can, Wisdom, be found? And where is the place of understanding?
13 Man does not know its price, nor is it found in the land of those who live in sweetness.
Mortal knoweth not the way thereof, neither can it be found in the land of the living;
14 The abyss declares, “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 The finest gold will not be paid for it, nor will silver be weighed in exchange for it.
Pure gold cannot be given in its stead, neither can silver he weighed as the value thereof;
16 It will not be compared with the dyed colors of India, nor with the very costly stone sardonyx, nor with the sapphire.
It cannot be put into the scales against the gold of Ophir, with costly onyx, or sapphire;
17 Neither gold nor crystal will be its equal; neither will vessels of gold be fitted for it.
Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can, the exchange thereof, be a vessel of pure gold,
18 The exalted and the eminent will not be remembered in comparison with it. Yet wisdom is drawn out of concealment.
Coral or crystal, cannot be mentioned, Yea, a possession, is wisdom, above red coral;
19 The topaz of Ethiopia will not be equal to it, nor will it be compared to the purest dyes.
The topaz of Ethiopia cannot compare with it, Against purest gold, can it not be weighed.
20 So then, where does wisdom begin, and where is the place of understanding?
Whence then cometh, wisdom? And where 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.
Seeing it hath been hid from the eyes of every living thing, and, from the bird of the heavens, hath it been concealed?
22 Perdition and death have said, “With our ears, we have heard its fame.”
Destruction and death, have said, With our ears, have we heard the report thereof!
23 God understands its way, and he knows its location.
GOD, understandeth the way thereof, and, he, discerneth the place thereof;
24 For he beholds the limits of the world, and he looks upon all things that are under heaven.
For, he, unto the ends of the earth, directeth his look, under all the heavens, he seeth;
25 He created a counterweight for the winds, and he suspended the waters to measure them.
Making, for the wind, a weight, and, the waters, he proved by measure,
26 At that time, he gave a law to the rain and a path to the resounding storms.
When he made, for the rain, a decree, and a way for the lightning of thunders,
27 Then he saw and explained it, and he made ready and examined it.
Then, saw he it, and declared it, He settled it, yea also he searched 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 said to the son of earth, Lo! the reverence of the Lord, that, is wisdom, and, to avoid evil, is understanding.
