Job 28
1 Though there is, for silver, a vein, and a place for the gold they refine;
For there is a place for the silver, whence it comes, and a place for the gold, whence it is refined.
2 Iron, out of the ore, is taken, and, stone, poureth out copper;
For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone.
3 An end, hath one set to the darkness, and, into every extremity, is, he, making search, for the stone of darkness and death-shade;
He has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone [is] darkness, and the shadow of death.
4 He hath sunken a shaft, away from the inhabitants; Places forsaken by the foot, they hang down, away from men, sway to and fro;
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 As for the earth, out of it, cometh forth bread, and, under it, is upturned, as it were fire;
[As for] the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire.
6 The place of sapphires, are the stones thereof, and it hath, nuggets of gold: —
Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and [her] dust [supplies] man with gold.
7 A path, the vulture hath not discerned, nor hath the eye of the hawk scanned it;
[There is] a path, the fowl has not known it, neither has the eye of the vulture seen it:
8 Ravenous beasts have not made a track thereof, neither hath the lion marched thereon:
neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it.
9 Upon the flint, hath he thrust forth his hand, He hath turned up mountains by the roots;
He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp [rock], and turned up mountains by the roots:
10 Among the rocks, hath he cut open streams, and, every precious thing, hath his eye seen:
and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers, and mine eye has seen every precious thing.
11 From trickling, he restraineth, rivers, and, some hidden thing, is he bringing out to light.
And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.
12 Yet where can, Wisdom, be found? And where is the place of understanding?
But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?
13 Mortal knoweth not the way thereof, neither can it 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 resounding deep, hath said, It is not in me! And, the sea, hath said, It is not with me!
The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.
15 Pure gold cannot be given in its stead, neither can silver he weighed as the value thereof;
One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
16 It cannot be put into the scales against the gold of Ophir, with costly onyx, or sapphire;
Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire.
17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can, the exchange thereof, be a vessel of pure gold,
Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it, neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange.
18 Coral or crystal, cannot be mentioned, Yea, a possession, is wisdom, above red coral;
Coral and fine pearl shall not be mentioned: but do you esteem wisdom above the most precious things.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot compare with it, Against purest gold, can it not be weighed.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equalled to it; it shall not be compared with pure gold.
20 Whence then cometh, wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?
21 Seeing it hath been hid from the eyes of every living thing, and, from the bird of the heavens, hath it been concealed?
It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky.
22 Destruction and death, have said, With our ears, have we heard the report thereof!
Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it.
23 GOD, understandeth the way thereof, and, he, discerneth the place thereof;
God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it.
24 For, he, unto the ends of the earth, directeth his look, under all the heavens, he seeth;
For he surveys the whole [earth] under heaven, knowing the things in the earth:
25 Making, for the wind, a weight, and, the waters, he proved by measure,
all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.
26 When he made, for the rain, a decree, and a way for the lightning of thunders,
When he made [them], thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder.
27 Then, saw he it, and declared it, He settled it, yea also he searched it out;
Then he saw it, and declared it: he prepared it [and] traced it out.
28 And said to the son of earth, Lo! the reverence of the Lord, that, is wisdom, and, to avoid evil, is understanding.
And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.
