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].
There are silver mines and places 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 extracted from the earth and copper is smelted from its 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.
Miners take lamps into the darkness underground and search for ore as far as they can go in the shadows and the gloom.
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].
They dig a mineshaft far from where people live or anyone ever goes. They swing from ropes that hang in the pits.
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.
Bread comes from the earth, but underneath it looks as if it has been turned upside-down 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.
Here the rocks contain lapis lazuli and the dust contains 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 birds of prey can see these paths, no falcon's eye can perceive.
8 Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
No wild beasts have passed that way; the lion has not walked there.
9 Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
Miners attack the hard rock; they overturn the roots of mountains.
10 They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
They tunnel through the rock, looking carefully for every precious stone.
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].
They dam the sources of the rivers, and bring to light what is hidden.
12 “But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
But where can wisdom be found? Where is the place to gain understanding?
13 Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
Human beings do not know the way to wisdom; it is not found among 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 deep waters say, ‘It's not here,’ and the sea says, ‘It's not here either.’
15 [People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
It cannot be bought with gold; nor can it be purchased with silver.
16 Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
Its value cannot be measured, even with the gold of Ophir; it is more precious than onyx or lapis lazuli.
17 It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
Gold or fine glass cannot compare with wisdom; it cannot be exchanged for gold jewelry.
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 crystal are not worth mentioning; the price of wisdom is far above 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 Ethiopia can't compare with it; it cannot be bought with the purest gold.
20 “So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
So where does wisdom come from? Where is the place to gain understanding?
21 No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
Wisdom is hidden from the sight of all living things, even the birds of the air cannot see it.
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've only heard a rumor of it.’
23 God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
Only God understands the path to wisdom; he knows where it is found.
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 very end of the earth; he sees everything under heaven.
25 When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
He decided how strong the wind should blow, and regulated the waters.
26 and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
He set a limit for the rain and made a path for the lightning.
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 considered wisdom. He examined it, gave it his approval, and declared it good.
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.’”
He said to humankind, ‘To reverence the Lord is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
