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].
For there is a place for the silver, whence it comes, and a place for the gold, whence it 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).
For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone.
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 has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone [is] darkness, 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].
There is a cutting off the torrent by reason of dust: so they that forget the right way are weakened; they are removed from [among] men.
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.
[As for] the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire.
6 The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and [her] dust [supplies] man with 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.
[There is] a path, the fowl has not known it, neither has the eye of the vulture seen it:
8 Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it.
9 Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp [rock], and turned up mountains by the roots:
10 They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers, and mine eye has 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].
And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.
12 “But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?
13 Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered among men.
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 said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.
15 [People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
One shall not give fine gold instead of 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.
Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire.
17 It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it, neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange.
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 fine pearl shall not be mentioned: but do you esteem wisdom above the most precious things.
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 equalled to it; it shall not be compared with pure gold.
20 “So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?
21 No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky.
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 said, We have heard the report of it.
23 God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it.
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 surveys the whole [earth] under heaven, knowing the things in the earth:
25 When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.
26 and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
When he made [them], thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder.
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 it: he prepared it [and] traced 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, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.
