Job 28
1 Surely there is a mine for silver, a place where they refine gold.
"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth; copper is smelted out of the stone.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.
3 A man sets an end to darkness and searches out, to the farthest limit, the stones in obscurity and thick darkness.
Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.
4 He breaks open a shaft away from where people live, places that are forgotten by anyone's foot. He hangs far away from people; he swings to and fro.
He breaks open a shaft away from where people live. They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.
5 As for the earth, out of which comes bread, it is turned up below as if by fire.
As for the earth, out of it comes bread; Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
6 Its stones are the place where sapphires are found, and its dust contains gold.
Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.
7 No bird of prey knows the path to it, nor has the falcon's eye seen it.
That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon's eye seen it.
8 The proud animals have not walked such a path, nor has the fierce lion passed there.
The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.
9 A man lays his hand on the flinty rock; he overturns mountains by their roots.
He puts forth his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.
10 He cuts out channels among the rocks; his eye sees every valuable thing there.
He cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.
11 He ties up the streams so they do not run; what is hidden there he brings out to the light.
He binds the streams that they do not trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings forth to light.
12 Where will wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
"But where shall wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
13 Man does not know its price; neither is it found in the land of the living.
Man doesn't know its price; Neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 The deep waters under the earth say, 'It is not in me'; the sea says, 'It is not with me.'
The deep says, 'It isn't in me.' The sea says, 'It isn't with me.'
15 It cannot be gotten for gold; neither can silver be weighed as its price.
It can't be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for its price.
16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or sapphire.
It can't be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 Gold and crystal cannot equal it in worth; neither can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
Gold and glass can't equal it, neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18 No mention is worth making of coral or jasper; indeed, the price of wisdom is more than rubies.
No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 The topaz of Cush does not equal it; neither can it be valued in terms of pure gold.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
20 From where, then, comes wisdom? Where is the place of understanding?
From where then comes wisdom? Where is the place of understanding?
21 Wisdom is hidden from the eyes of all living things and is kept hidden from the birds of the heavens.
Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky.
22 Destruction and Death say, 'We have heard just a rumor about it with our ears.'
Destruction and Death say, 'We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.'
23 God understands the way to it; he knows its place.
"God understands its way, and he knows its place.
24 For he looks to the very ends of the earth and sees under all the heavens.
For he looks to the farthest parts of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.
25 He made the force of the wind and parceled out the waters by measure.
He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures out the waters by measure.
26 He made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunder.
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder;
27 Then he saw wisdom and announced it; he established it, indeed, and he examined it.
then he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.
28 To people he said, 'See, the fear of the Lord—that is wisdom; to depart from evil is understanding.'”
To man he said, 'Look, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.'"
