Job 28
1 Silver hath beginnings of its veins, and gold hath a place wherein it is melted.
Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone melted with heat is turned into brass.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire.
3 He hath set a time for darkness, and the end of all things he considereth, the stone also that is in the dark and the shadow of death.
Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark.
4 The flood divideth from the people that are on their journey, those whom the food of the needy man hath forgotten, and who cannot be come at.
He makes a deep mine far away from those living in the light of day; when they go about on the earth, they have no knowledge of those who are under them, who are hanging far from men, twisting from side to side on a cord.
5 The land, out of which bread grew in its place, hath been overturned with fire.
As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire.
6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and the clods of it are gold.
Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.
7 The bird hath not known the path, neither hath the eye of the vulture beheld it.
No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it.
8 The children of the merchants have not trodden it, neither hath the lioness passed by it.
The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way.
9 He hath stretched forth his hand to the flint, he hath overturned mountains from the roots.
Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots.
10 In the rocks he hath cut out rivers, and his eye hath seen every precious thing.
He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value.
11 The depths also of rivers he hath searched, and hidden things he hath brought forth to light.
He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light.
12 But where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?
But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
13 Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of them that live in delights.
Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living.
14 The depth saith: It is not in me: and the sea saith: It is not with me.
The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.
15 The finest gold shall not purchase it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it.
16 It shall not be compared with the dyed colours of India, or with the most precious stone sardonyx, or the sapphire.
It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire.
17 Gold or crystal cannot equal it, neither shall any vessels of gold be changed for it.
Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold.
18 High and eminent things shall not be mentioned in comparison of it: but wisdom is drawn out of secret places.
There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equal to it, neither shall it be compared to the cleanest dyeing.
The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
21 It is hid from the eyes of all living. and the fowls of the air know it not.
For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air.
22 Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard the fame thereof.
Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears.
23 God understandeth the way of it, and he knoweth the place thereof.
God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place;
24 For he beholdeth the ends of the world: and looketh on all things that are under heaven.
For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven.
25 Who made a weight for the winds and weighed the waters by measure.
When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters;
26 When he gave a law for the rain, and a way for the sounding storms.
When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;
27 Then he saw it, and declared, and prepared, and searched it.
Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely.
28 And he said to man: Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom: and to depart from evil, is understanding.
And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
