Job 28
1 “It is true that there are places where men dig to find silver, and there are places where people refine/purify gold [that they have dug].
“Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.
2 People dig iron [ore] out of the ground, and they (smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it).
Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.
3 Men use lamps while they work far down under the ground to search for the ore inside the mines where it is very dark.
Man puts an end to the darkness; he probes the farthest recesses for ore in deepest darkness.
4 They dig (shafts/narrow holes very deep down into the ground) in places that are far from where people live, where travelers do not go. They work far away from [other] people, swinging back and forth on ropes [as they descend into the mine shafts].
Far from human habitation he cuts a shaft in places forgotten by the foot of man. Far from men he dangles and sways.
5 Food grows on the surface of the ground, but down under the ground, [where there is no food, ] the miners make fires to break apart the rocks.
Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire.
6 The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
Its rocks are the source of sapphires, containing flecks of gold.
7 [Some birds have very good eyes, ] but even hawks do not know [where the mines are], and falcons/vultures have not seen those places.
No bird of prey knows that path; no falcon’s eye has seen it.
8 Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
Proud beasts have never trodden it; no lion has ever prowled over it.
9 Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
The miner strikes the flint; he overturns mountains at their base.
10 They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
He hews out channels in the rocks, and his eyes spot every treasure.
11 They dam up small streams in order that water does not flow, and they bring up into the light valuable things that are hidden [in the ground and in the streams].
He stops up the sources of the streams to bring what is hidden to light.
12 “But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding dwell?
13 Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
No man can know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living.
14 [It is as though] water that is deep [inside the earth] and [water that is in] the seas say [PRS], ‘Wisdom is not here!’
The ocean depths say, ‘It is not in me,’ while the sea declares, ‘It is not with me.’
15 [People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
It cannot be bought with gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver.
16 Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.
17 It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
Neither gold nor crystal can compare to it, nor jewels of fine gold be exchanged for it.
18 Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
19 The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
Topaz from Cush cannot compare to it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.
20 “So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
From where then does wisdom come, and where does understanding dwell?
21 No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the air.
22 [It is as though] the places where people go after they die say [PRS], ‘We have only heard rumors about [where to find wisdom].’
Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor about it.’
23 God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
But God understands its way, and He knows its place.
24 because he can see things even in the most remote/distant places on the earth; he can see everything that is below the sky.
For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
25 When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
When God fixed the weight of the wind and measured out the waters,
26 and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
when He set a limit for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt,
27 at that time he saw wisdom and decided that it is extremely valuable. He examined it and (approved it/said that it was very good).
then He looked at wisdom and appraised it; He established it and searched it out.
28 And [then] he said to humans, ‘Listen! To have an awesome respect for me is [what will enable you to become] wise; and to truly understand everything, you must first turn away from doing what is evil.’”
And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
