Job 28
1 For truly there is a source for the silver, and a place for the gold which men refine.
For there is a place for the silver, whence it comes, and a place for the gold, whence it is refined.
2 Iron is taken out of the dust, and the stone is melted into copper.
For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone.
3 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.
He has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone [is] darkness, and the shadow of death.
4 He breaketh a channel far from the inhabited place; those of unsteady foot, the poorest of men move [there about].
There is a cutting off the torrent by reason of dust: so they that forget the right way are weakened; they are removed from [amongst] men.
5 The earth, out of which cometh forth bread, is under its surface turned up as it were with fire.
[As for] the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire.
6 Her stones are the place whence the sapphire cometh; and golden dust is also there;
Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and [her] dust [supplies] man with gold.
7 [On the] path which no bird of prey knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not surveyed;
[There is] a path, the fowl has not known it, neither has the eye of the vulture seen it:
8 [Which] ravenous beasts have never trodden, over which the lion hath never passed.
neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it.
9 To the flinty rock he stretcheth forth his hand; he overturneth the mountains from the root.
He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp [rock], and turned up mountains by the roots:
10 Amid rocks he heweth out canals: and every precious thing doth his eye behold.
and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers, and mine eye has seen every precious thing.
11 The various droppings of water he uniteth into streams, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.
12 But wisdom—where shall she he found? and where is the place of understanding?
But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?
13 Man knoweth not her value: and she is not to be found in the land of the living.
A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered amongst men.
14 The deep saith, Not in me is she: and the sea saith, She is not with me.
The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.
15 No fine gold can be given in lieu of her, and silver cannot be weighed out as her price.
One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
16 She cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire.
17 She cannot be estimated after gold and glass; and not in exchange for her [can] vessels of refined gold [be taken.]
Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it, neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange.
18 Coral and crystal will not be thought of; and the value of wisdom is above pearls.
Coral and fine pearl shall not be mentioned: but do you esteem wisdom above the most precious things.
19 She cannot be estimated after the topaz of Ethiopia, nor can she be valued with pure gold.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equalled to it; it shall not be compared with pure gold.
20 But wisdom—whence cometh she? and where is the place of understanding?
Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?
21 Yea, she is hidden from the eyes of all living, and from the fowls of the heavens is she concealed.
It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky.
22 Perdition and death say, With our ears have we heard a report of her.
Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it.
23 God [alone] understandeth her way, and he knoweth her place;
God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it.
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, [whatever is] under the whole heaven doth he see.
For he surveys the whole [earth] under heaven, knowing the things in the earth:
25 When he imparted weight unto the wind; and [when] the waters he established by measure;
all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.
26 When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the lightning of [his] thunders;
When he made [them], thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder.
27 Then did he see her, and make her known; he established her, and also searched her out.
Then he saw it, and declared it: he prepared it [and] traced it out.
28 And he said unto man, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to eschew evil is understanding.
And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.
