Job 28
1 For truly there is a source for the silver, and a place for the gold which men 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 the stone is melted into copper.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.
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.
Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.
4 He breaketh a channel far from the inhabited place; those of unsteady foot, the poorest of men move [there about].
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 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 comes bread; Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
6 Her stones are the place whence the sapphire cometh; and golden dust is also there;
Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.
7 [On the] path which no bird of prey knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not surveyed;
That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon's eye seen it.
8 [Which] ravenous beasts have never trodden, over which the lion hath never passed.
The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.
9 To the flinty rock he stretcheth forth his hand; he overturneth the mountains from the root.
He puts forth his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.
10 Amid rocks he heweth out canals: and every precious thing doth his eye behold.
He cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.
11 The various droppings of water he uniteth into streams, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
He binds the streams that they do not trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings forth to light.
12 But wisdom—where shall she he found? and where is the place of understanding?
"But where shall wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not her value: and she is not to be found in the land of the living.
Man doesn't know its price; Neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 The deep saith, Not in me is she: and the sea saith, She is not with me.
The deep says, 'It isn't in me.' The sea says, 'It isn't with me.'
15 No fine gold can be given in lieu of her, and silver cannot be weighed out as her price.
It can't be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for its price.
16 She cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
It can't be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the 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 glass can't equal it, neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18 Coral and crystal will not be thought of; and the value of wisdom is above pearls.
No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 She cannot be estimated after the topaz of Ethiopia, nor can she be valued with pure gold.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
20 But wisdom—whence cometh she? and where is the place of understanding?
From where then comes wisdom? Where 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.
Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky.
22 Perdition and death say, With our ears have we heard a report of her.
Destruction and Death say, 'We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.'
23 God [alone] understandeth her way, and he knoweth her place;
"God understands its way, and he knows its place.
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, [whatever is] under the whole heaven doth he see.
For he looks to the farthest parts of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.
25 When he imparted weight unto the wind; and [when] the waters he established by measure;
He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures out the waters by measure.
26 When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the lightning of [his] thunders;
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning 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 established it, yes, and searched it out.
28 And he said unto man, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to eschew evil is understanding.
To man he said, 'Look, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.'"
