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 vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they refine it.
2 Iron is taken out of the dust, and the stone is melted into copper.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is melted out of the 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 setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of 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].
The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten by the foot: they are dried up, they have gone away from 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 cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
6 Her stones are the place whence the sapphire cometh; and golden dust is also there;
The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.
7 [On the] path which no bird of prey knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not surveyed;
There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen:
8 [Which] ravenous beasts have never trodden, over which the lion hath never passed.
The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
9 To the flinty rock he stretcheth forth his hand; he overturneth the mountains from the root.
He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
10 Amid rocks he heweth out canals: and every precious thing doth his eye behold.
He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 The various droppings of water he uniteth into streams, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid he bringeth forth to light.
12 But wisdom—where shall she he found? and where is the place of understanding?
But where shall wisdom be found? and 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 knoweth not the price of it; 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 depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, 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.
It cannot be obtained for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price of it.
16 She cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
It cannot 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.]
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be 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 pearls: for 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 Cush 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?
Where then cometh wisdom? and 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 hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
22 Perdition and death say, With our ears have we heard a report of her.
Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame of it with our ears.
23 God [alone] understandeth her way, and he knoweth her place;
God understandeth the way of it, and he knoweth its place.
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, [whatever is] under the whole heaven doth he see.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
25 When he imparted weight unto the wind; and [when] the waters he established by measure;
To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth 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 did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, 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.
And to man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
