< Job 28 >
1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
銀有出產之地,金有冶煉之所。
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
鐵由土中掘出,銅自石中鎔煉。
3 He sets an end to darkness, and searches out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
人給黑暗制定了界限,探討幽暗陰晦的堅石,挖至地層深處。
4 The flood breaks out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
在無人居住之處開鑿礦穴,上面過路的人,也想不到他們遠離人間,身懸半空,搖擺不定。
5 As for the earth, out of it comes bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
地上出產食糧,地下有火翻騰。
6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it has dust of gold.
那裏的石頭盡是碧玉,塵沙盡是金沙。
7 There is a path which no fowl knows, and which the vulture’s eye has not seen:
礦中的幽徑,猛禽不知,鷹眼未見。
8 The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
野獸未踐踏,猛獸未經過。
9 He puts forth his hand on the rock; he overturns the mountains by the roots.
人伸手擊打燧石,山基為之震撼動搖。
10 He cuts out rivers among the rocks; and his eye sees every precious thing.
在巖石中間開鑿隧道,所有珍寶盡入眼簾。
11 He binds the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid brings he forth to light.
探察江河之源流,使寶藏顯露於外。
12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
但是智慧在那裏尋覓,那裏是明智之所在﹖
13 Man knows not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
智慧的道路,人不認識,在眾生界尋不到她。
14 The depth says, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.
深淵說:「她不在我這裏。」海洋說:「她不與我同域。」
15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
她非精金所能購買,也不能稱量銀子作她的代價。
16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
敖非爾金不能與她較量,寶石和碧玉也不能與她相比。
17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
黃金與琉璃不能與她同列,純金的器皿也不能與她交換。
18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
珊瑚與水晶都不足論,取得智慧勝過取得珍珠。
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
雇士的黃玉不足與她相比,純金也不能與她較量。
20 From where then comes wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
究竟智慧由何處而來,那裏是明智之所在﹖
21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
眾生的眼目未曾見過,天空的飛鳥也未發現。「
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
毀滅」與「死亡」都說:「我們只風聞過她的聲望。」
23 God understands the way thereof, and he knows the place thereof.
惟獨天主認識她的道路,惟有他知道她的處所。
24 For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole heaven;
因為惟有他觀察地極,俯視天下的一切。
25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weighs the waters by measure.
當他劃定風的重量,規定水的定量,
26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
釐定下雨的季節,規定雷電的路線時,
27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yes, and searched it out.
他已見了她,講述了她,立定了她,考察了她。
28 And to man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
然後對人說:「看,敬畏上主,就是智慧;遠離邪惡,就是明智。」