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].
Dhugumaan iddoon meetiin keessaa qotamu, lafti warqeen itti baafamee qulqulleeffamu jira.
2 People dig iron [ore] out of the ground, and they (smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it).
Sibiilli lafa keessaa baafama; sibiilli diimaan immoo dhagaa albuudaa irraa baqfama.
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.
Namni hamma dhuma dukkanaatti deema; moggaa akka malee fagoo dhaqees, dukkana hamaa keessa dhagaa albuudaa barbaada.
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].
Inni lafa namoonni jiraatan irraa fagaatee iddoo miilli namaa ejjetee hin beeknetti boolla qota; namoota irraa fagaatee ni rarraʼa; asii fi achis ni raafama.
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.
Lafa irraa garuu nyaatatu argama; jala isheetiin immoo akka waan ibidda taateetti geeddaramti;
6 The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
dhagaan isaa burqaa sanpeerii ti; biyyoon isaas warqee qaba.
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.
Allaattiin tokko iyyuu karaa dhokfame sana hin beeku; iji culullees karaa sana hin argine.
8 Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
Bineensonni sodaachisoon irra hin ejjenne; leencis karaa sana hin darbine.
9 Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
Harki namaa dhagaa jabaa cabsa; hundee tulluuwwanii immoo ni gaggaragalcha.
10 They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
Inni kattaa keessaan karaa baasa; iji isaas waan gatii guddaa hunda arga.
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].
Madda lageenii ni sakattaʼa; waan dhokfames ifatti ni baasa.
12 “But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
Ogummaan garuu eessaa argamti? Hubannaanis eessa jiraata?
13 Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
Namni gatii isaa hin beeku; inni biyya jiraattotaa keessatti hin argamu.
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!’
Tujubni, “Inni na keessa hin jiru” jedha; galaannis, “Inni na bira hin jiru” jedha.
15 [People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
Warqeen qulqulluun isa bituu hin dandaʼu; gatiin isaas meetiidhaan hin madaalamu.
16 Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
Warqee Oofiiriitti, dhagaa gatii guddaa sardooniksiitti yookaan sanpeeriitti hin tilmaamamu.
17 It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
Warqee fi dhagaan akka bilillee calaqqisu ittiin hin qixxaatu; inni faaya warqee qulqulluutiin hin geeddaramu.
18 Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
Elellaanii fi dooqni akka waan gatii qabaniitti hin hedaman; gatiin ogummaa lula diimaa caala.
19 The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
Tophaaziyooniin Itoophiyaa itti qixxaatu; warqee qulqulluudhaanis bitamuu hin dandaʼu.
20 “So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
Yoos ogummaan eessaa dhufti ree? Hubannaanis eessa jiraatti?
21 No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
Isheen ija uumama hundaa jalaa dhokatteerti; simbirroota samii jalaas baddeerti.
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].’
Badiisnii fi Duuti, “Nu oduu ishee qofa gurra keenyaan dhageenye” jedhu.
23 God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
Waaqa qofatu daandii gara ishee geessu hubatee, lafa inni jiraatus beeka;
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.
inni handaara lafaa ni ilaala; waan samii jala jiru hunda ni argaatii.
25 When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
Inni yommuu bubbeedhaaf humna kennee bishaanota safaretti,
26 and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
yommuu bokkaadhaaf seera dhaabee bakakkaaf immoo daandii baasetti,
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).
inni ogummaa ilaalee madaale; jabeessee dhaabee ishee qorate.
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.’”
Ergasii ilmaan namaatiin, “Gooftaa sodaachuun ogummaa; waan hamaa irraa fagaachuunis hubannaa dha” jedhe.
