Job 28
1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold which they refine;
“Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.
2 Iron is taken out of the dust, and copper is molten out of the stone.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.
3 [Man] putteth an end to the darkness, and exploreth to the utmost limit, the stones of darkness and of 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 He openeth a shaft far from the inhabitants [of the earth]: forgotten of the foot, they hang suspended; away below men they hover.
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 cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as by fire;
As for the earth, out of it comes bread. Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.
Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.
7 It is a path no bird of prey knoweth, and the vulture's eye hath not seen it;
That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon’s eye seen it.
8 The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed over it.
The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.
9 [Man] putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock, he overturneth the mountains by the root.
He puts his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.
10 He cutteth out channels in the rocks, and his eye seeth every precious thing.
He cuts out channels amongst the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.
11 He bindeth the streams that they drip not, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
He binds the streams that they don’t trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
12 But wisdom, where shall it be found? and where is the place of understanding?
“But where will wisdom be found? 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 doesn’t know its price, and it isn’t 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 says, ‘It isn’t in me.’ The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’
15 Choice gold cannot be given for it, nor silver be weighed for its price.
It can’t be gotten for gold, neither will silver be weighed for its price.
16 It is not set in the balance with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, and the sapphire.
It can’t 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.
Gold and glass can’t equal it, neither will it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18 Corals and crystal are no more remembered; yea, the acquisition of wisdom is above rubies.
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 compared to it, neither shall it be set in the balance with pure gold.
The topaz of Ethiopia will not equal it. It won’t be valued with pure gold.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
Where then does wisdom come from? 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.
Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky.
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard its report with our ears.
Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumour of it with our ears.’
23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth its place:
“God understands its way, and he knows its place.
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, he seeth under the whole heaven.
For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.
25 In making a weight for the wind, and meting out the waters by measure,
He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures out the waters by measure.
26 In appointing a statute for the rain, and a way for the thunder's flash:
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he established it, yea, and searched it out;
then he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.
28 And unto man he said, Lo, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”
