Job 28
1 Though there is, for silver, a vein, and a place for the gold they refine;
For truly there is a source for the silver, and a place for the gold which men refine.
2 Iron, out of the ore, is taken, and, stone, poureth out copper;
Iron is taken out of the dust, and the stone is melted into copper.
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;
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.
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;
He breaketh a channel far from the inhabited place; those of unsteady foot, the poorest of men move [there about].
5 As for the earth, out of it, cometh forth bread, and, under it, is upturned, as it were fire;
The earth, out of which cometh forth bread, is under its surface turned up as it were with fire.
6 The place of sapphires, are the stones thereof, and it hath, nuggets of gold: —
Her stones are the place whence the sapphire cometh; and golden dust is also there;
7 A path, the vulture hath not discerned, nor hath the eye of the hawk scanned it;
[On the] path which no bird of prey knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not surveyed;
8 Ravenous beasts have not made a track thereof, neither hath the lion marched thereon:
[Which] ravenous beasts have never trodden, over which the lion hath never passed.
9 Upon the flint, hath he thrust forth his hand, He hath turned up mountains by the roots;
To the flinty rock he stretcheth forth his hand; he overturneth the mountains from the root.
10 Among the rocks, hath he cut open streams, and, every precious thing, hath his eye seen:
Amid rocks he heweth out canals: and every precious thing doth his eye behold.
11 From trickling, he restraineth, rivers, and, some hidden thing, is he bringing out to light.
The various droppings of water he uniteth into streams, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
12 Yet where can, Wisdom, be found? And where is the place of understanding?
But wisdom—where shall she he found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Mortal knoweth not the way thereof, neither can it be found in the land of the living;
Man knoweth not her value: and she is not to be found in the land of the living.
14 The resounding deep, hath said, It is not in me! And, the sea, hath said, It is not with me!
The deep saith, Not in me is she: and the sea saith, She is not with me.
15 Pure gold cannot be given in its stead, neither can silver he weighed as the value thereof;
No fine gold can be given in lieu of her, and silver cannot be weighed out as her price.
16 It cannot be put into the scales against the gold of Ophir, with costly onyx, or sapphire;
She cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can, the exchange thereof, be a vessel of pure gold,
She cannot be estimated after gold and glass; and not in exchange for her [can] vessels of refined gold [be taken.]
18 Coral or crystal, cannot be mentioned, Yea, a possession, is wisdom, above red coral;
Coral and crystal will not be thought of; and the value of wisdom is above pearls.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot compare with it, Against purest gold, can it not be weighed.
She cannot be estimated after the topaz of Ethiopia, nor can she be valued with pure gold.
20 Whence then cometh, wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
But wisdom—whence cometh she? and where 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?
Yea, she is hidden from the eyes of all living, and from the fowls of the heavens is she concealed.
22 Destruction and death, have said, With our ears, have we heard the report thereof!
Perdition and death say, With our ears have we heard a report of her.
23 GOD, understandeth the way thereof, and, he, discerneth the place thereof;
God [alone] understandeth her way, and he knoweth her place;
24 For, he, unto the ends of the earth, directeth his look, under all the heavens, he seeth;
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, [whatever is] under the whole heaven doth he see.
25 Making, for the wind, a weight, and, the waters, he proved by measure,
When he imparted weight unto the wind; and [when] the waters he established by measure;
26 When he made, for the rain, a decree, and a way for the lightning of thunders,
When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the lightning of [his] thunders;
27 Then, saw he it, and declared it, He settled it, yea also he searched it out;
Then did he see her, and make her known; he established her, and also searched her 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 unto man, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to eschew evil is understanding.
