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].
Habet argentum, venarum suarum principia: et auro locus est, in quo conflatur.
2 People dig iron [ore] out of the ground, and they (smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it).
Ferrum de terra tollitur: et lapis solutus calore, in aes vertitur.
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.
Tempus posuit tenebris, et universorum finem ipse considerat, lapidem quoque caliginis, et umbram mortis.
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].
Dividit torrens a populo peregrinante, eos, quos oblitus est pes egentis hominis, et invios.
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.
Terra, de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo, igni subversa est.
6 The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
Locus sapphiri lapides eius, et glebae illius aurum.
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.
Semitam ignoravit avis, nec intuitus est eam oculus vulturis.
8 Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
Non calcaverunt eam filii institorum, nec pertransivit per eam leaena.
9 Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
Ad silicem extendit manum suam, subvertit a radicibus montes.
10 They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
In petris rivos excidit, et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius.
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].
Profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est, et abscondita in lucem produxit.
12 “But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
Sapientia vero ubi invenitur? et quis est locus intelligentiae?
13 Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
Nescit homo pretium eius, nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium.
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!’
Abyssus dicit: Non est in me: et mare loquitur: Non est mecum.
15 [People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
Non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea, nec appendetur argentum in commutatione eius.
16 Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
Non conferetur tinctis Indiae coloribus, nec lapidi sardonycho pretiosissimo, vel sapphiro.
17 It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
Non adaequabitur ei aurum vel vitrum, nec commutabuntur pro ea vasa auri:
18 Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
Excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur comparatione eius: trahitur autem sapientia de occultis.
19 The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
Non adaequabitur ei topazius de Aethiopia, nec tincturae mundissimae componetur.
20 “So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
Unde ergo sapientia venit? et quis est locus intelligentiae?
21 No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
Abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium, volucres quoque caeli latet.
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].’
Perditio et mors dixerunt: Auribus nostris audivimus famam eius.
23 God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
Deus intelligit viam eius, et ipse novit locum illius.
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.
Ipse enim fines mundi intuetur: et omnia, quae sub caelo sunt, respicit.
25 When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
Qui fecit ventis pondus, et aquas appendit in mensura.
26 and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
Quando ponebat pluviis legem, et viam procellis sonantibus:
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).
Tunc vidit illam, et enarravit, et praeparavit, et investigavit.
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.’”
Et dixit homini: Ecce timor Domini, ipsa est sapientia: et recedere a malo, intelligentia.
