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].
Silver hath beginnings of its veins, and gold hath a place wherein it is melted.
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 out of the earth, and stone melted with heat is turned into brass.
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.
He hath set a time for darkness, and the end of all things he considereth, the stone also that is in the dark and the shadow of death.
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].
The flood divideth from the people that are on their journey, those whom the food of the needy man hath forgotten, and who cannot be come at.
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.
The land, out of which bread grew in its place, hath been overturned with fire.
6 The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and the clods of it are 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.
The bird hath not known the path, neither hath the eye of the vulture beheld it.
8 Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
The children of the merchants have not trodden it, neither hath the lioness passed by it.
9 Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
He hath stretched forth his hand to the flint, he hath overturned mountains from the roots.
10 They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
In the rocks he hath cut out rivers, and his eye hath seen every precious thing.
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].
The depths also of rivers he hath searched, and hidden things he hath brought forth to light.
12 “But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
But where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?
13 Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of them that live in delights.
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 depth saith: It is not in me: and the sea saith: It is not with me.
15 [People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
The finest gold shall not purchase it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
16 Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
It shall not be compared with the dyed colours of India, or with the most precious stone sardonyx, or the sapphire.
17 It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
Gold or crystal cannot equal it, neither shall any vessels of gold be changed 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.
High and eminent things shall not be mentioned in comparison of it: but wisdom is drawn out of secret places.
19 The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equal to it, neither shall it be compared to the cleanest dyeing.
20 “So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
It is hid from the eyes of all living. and the fowls of the air know it not.
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].’
Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard the fame thereof.
23 God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
God understandeth the way of it, and he knoweth the place thereof.
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 beholdeth the ends of the world: and looketh on all things that are under heaven.
25 When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
Who made a weight for the winds and weighed the waters by measure.
26 and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
When he gave a law for the rain, and a way for the sounding storms.
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 saw it, and declared, and prepared, and searched it.
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 depart from evil, is understanding.
