Job 28
1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold [where] they fine [it].
Truly there is a vein for silver, And a place for gold, which men refine.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass [is] melted [out of] the stone.
Iron is obtained from earth, And stone is melted into copper.
3 He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shades of death.
Man putteth an end to darkness; He searcheth to the lowest depths For the stone of darkness and the shadow of death.
4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant: [even the waters] forgotten by the foot: they are dried up, they have gone away from men.
From the place where they dwell they open a shaft; Forgotten by the feet, They hang down, they swing away from men.
5 [As for] the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
The earth, out of which cometh bread, Is torn up underneath, as it were by fire.
6 The stones of it [are] the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.
Her stones are the place of sapphires, And she hath clods of gold for man.
7 [There is] a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vultur's eye hath not seen:
The path thereto no bird knoweth, And the vulture's eye hath not seen it;
8 The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
The fierce wild beast hath not trodden it; The lion hath not passed over it.
9 He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
Man layeth his hand upon the rock; He upturneth mountains from their roots;
10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
He cleaveth out streams in the rocks, And his eye seeth every precious thing;
11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and [the thing that is] hid he bringeth forth to light.
He bindeth up the streams, that they trickle not, And bringeth hidden things to light.
12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where [is] the place of understanding?
But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not the price of it; neither is it found in the land of the living.
Man knoweth not the price thereof, Nor can it be found in the land of the living.
14 The depth saith, It [is] not in me: and the sea saith, [It is] not with me.
The deep saith, It is not in me; And the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 It cannot be obtained for gold, neither shall silver be weighed [for] the price of it.
It cannot be gotten for gold, Nor shall silver be weighed out as the price thereof.
16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, With the precious onyx or the sapphire.
17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it [shall not be for] jewels of fine gold.
Gold and crystal are not to be compared with it; Nor can it be purchased with jewels of fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom [is] above rubies.
No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; For wisdom is more precious than pearls.
19 The topaz of Cush shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, Nor can it be purchased with pure gold.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where [is] the place of understanding?
Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
Since it is hidden from the eyes of all living, And kept close from the fowls of the air.
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame of it with our ears.
Destruction and Death say, We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.
23 God understandeth the way of it, and he knoweth its place.
God knoweth the way to it; He knoweth its dwelling-place.
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, [and] seeth under the whole heaven;
For he seeth to the ends of the earth, And surveyeth all things under the whole heaven.
25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
When he gave the winds their weight, And meted out the waters by measure;
26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
When he prescribed a law to the rain, And a path to the thunder-flash, —
27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
Then did he see it, and make it known; He established it, and searched it out.
28 And to man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that [is] wisdom; and to depart from evil [is] understanding.
But he said unto man, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.
