Job 28
1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold which they refine;
For truly there is a source for the silver, and a place for the gold which men refine.
2 Iron is taken out of the dust, and copper is molten out of the stone.
Iron is taken out of the dust, and the stone is melted into copper.
3 [Man] putteth an end to the darkness, and exploreth to the utmost limit, the stones of darkness and of the shadow of death.
An end doth he set to darkness, and the very utmost limit doth he search out, the stones of darkness, and of the shadow of death.
4 He openeth a shaft far from the inhabitants [of the earth]: forgotten of the foot, they hang suspended; away below men they hover.
He breaketh a channel far from the inhabited place; those of unsteady foot, the poorest of men move [there about].
5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as by fire;
The earth, out of which cometh forth bread, is under its surface turned up as it were with fire.
6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.
Her stones are the place whence the sapphire cometh; and golden dust is also there;
7 It is a path no bird of prey knoweth, and the vulture's eye hath not seen it;
[On the] path which no bird of prey knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not surveyed;
8 The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed over it.
[Which] ravenous beasts have never trodden, over which the lion hath never passed.
9 [Man] putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock, he overturneth the mountains by the root.
To the flinty rock he stretcheth forth his hand; he overturneth the mountains from the root.
10 He cutteth out channels in the rocks, and his eye seeth every precious thing.
Amid rocks he heweth out canals: and every precious thing doth his eye behold.
11 He bindeth the streams that they drip not, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
The various droppings of water he uniteth into streams, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
12 But wisdom, where shall it be found? and where is the place of understanding?
But wisdom—where shall she he found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not the value thereof; and it is not found in the land of the living.
Man knoweth not her value: and she is not to be found in the land of the living.
14 The deep saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not with me.
The deep saith, Not in me is she: and the sea saith, She is not with me.
15 Choice gold cannot be given for it, nor silver be weighed for its price.
No fine gold can be given in lieu of her, and silver cannot be weighed out as her price.
16 It is not set in the balance with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, and the sapphire.
She cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 Gold and glass cannot be compared to it, nor vessels of fine gold be its exchange.
She cannot be estimated after gold and glass; and not in exchange for her [can] vessels of refined gold [be taken.]
18 Corals and crystal are no more remembered; yea, the acquisition of wisdom is above rubies.
Coral and crystal will not be thought of; and the value of wisdom is above pearls.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be compared to it, neither shall it be set in the balance with pure gold.
She cannot be estimated after the topaz of Ethiopia, nor can she be valued with pure gold.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
But wisdom—whence cometh she? and where is the place of understanding?
21 For it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the fowl of the heavens.
Yea, she is hidden from the eyes of all living, and from the fowls of the heavens is she concealed.
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard its report with our ears.
Perdition and death say, With our ears have we heard a report of her.
23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth its place:
God [alone] understandeth her way, and he knoweth her place;
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, he seeth under the whole heaven.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, [whatever is] under the whole heaven doth he see.
25 In making a weight for the wind, and meting out the waters by measure,
When he imparted weight unto the wind; and [when] the waters he established by measure;
26 In appointing a statute for the rain, and a way for the thunder's flash:
When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the lightning of [his] thunders;
27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he established it, yea, and searched it out;
Then did he see her, and make her known; he established her, and also searched her out.
28 And unto man he said, Lo, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
And he said unto man, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to eschew evil is understanding.
