Job 28
1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
Silver has its fissures where it is first found, and gold has a place where it is melted.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
Iron is taken from the earth, and ore, unbound by heat, is turned into brass.
3 He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
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.
4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
The burning separates a pilgrim people from those who have been forgotten by the feet of the destitute man and from the unapproachable.
5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
The land, where bread appeared in its place, has been destroyed by fire.
6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.
Its stones are embedded with sapphires, and its soil, with gold.
7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen:
The bird does not know its path, nor has the eye of the vulture beheld it.
8 The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
The sons of merchants have not walked there, nor has the lioness traveled through it.
9 He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
He has stretched out his hand to the rocks; he has overturned the foundations of the mountains.
10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
He has cut rivers through the rocks, and his eye has seen all precious things.
11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.
The depths of rivers he has also examined, and he has brought hidden things into the light.
12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
But, in truth, where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
Man does not know its price, nor is it found in the land of those who live in sweetness.
14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
The abyss declares, “It is not in me.” And the sea says, “It is not with me.”
15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
The finest gold will not be paid for it, nor will silver be weighed in exchange for it.
16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
It will not be compared with the dyed colors of India, nor with the very costly stone sardonyx, nor with the sapphire.
17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
Neither gold nor crystal will be its equal; neither will vessels of gold be fitted for it.
18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
The exalted and the eminent will not be remembered in comparison with it. Yet wisdom is drawn out of concealment.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
The topaz of Ethiopia will not be equal to it, nor will it be compared to the purest dyes.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
So then, where does wisdom begin, and where is the place of understanding?
21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
It has been hidden from the eyes of all living things, just as the birds of the heavens escape notice.
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
Perdition and death have said, “With our ears, we have heard its fame.”
23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
God understands its way, and he knows its location.
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
For he beholds the limits of the world, and he looks upon all things that are under heaven.
25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
He created a counterweight for the winds, and he suspended the waters to measure them.
26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
At that time, he gave a law to the rain and a path to the resounding storms.
27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
Then he saw and explained it, and he made ready and examined it.
28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
And he said to man, “Behold the fear of the Lord. Such is wisdom. And to withdraw from evil, this is understanding.”
