Job 28
1 Olulu e si egwupụta ọlaọcha dị; ebe a na-anụcha ọlaedo dịkwa.
“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].
2 E si nʼime ala ewepụta igwe, ọlanchara na-agbazepụta site nkume na-aghọ ọla.
People dig iron [ore] out of the ground, and they (smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it).
3 Mmadụ na-eme ka ọchịchịrị nwee ọgwụgwụ; ọ na-enyochapụta ihe dị ebe dị anya, na-achọ igwe nʼime oke ọchịchịrị.
Men use lamps while they work far down under the ground to search for the ore inside the mines where it is very dark.
4 Ọ na-egwu olulu nʼebe dị anya site nʼebe mmadụ bi, nʼebe ụkwụ mmadụ na-adịghị eru, nʼebe ahụ dị anya site nʼebe mmadụ bi ka ha na-akwụfegharị.
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].
5 Ala ahụ e si na ya enweta nri, abụrụla ihe e ji ọkụ gbanwee nʼokpuru ya.
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.
6 Safaia bụ nkume dị oke ọnụahịa dị na nkume ya; aja ya nwekwara mkpụrụ ọlaedo.
The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
7 Ọ dịghị anụ ufe nke na-eri anụ maara ụzọ ahụ zoro ezo; anya agụ nkwọ ọbụla ahụtụbeghị ya.
[Some birds have very good eyes, ] but even hawks do not know [where the mines are], and falcons/vultures have not seen those places.
8 Anụ ọhịa dị nganga anaghị azọnye ụkwụ nʼelu ya, ọdụm ọbụla adịghị awagharị nʼebe ahụ.
Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
9 Ndị mmadụ na-eji aka na-etiwasị nkume ahụ na-enwu ọkụ mee ka mgbọrọgwụ ugwu ahụ pụta ìhè.
Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
10 Ha na-awapụta ọwa ụzọ nʼetiti nkume ahụ, anya ha na-ahụkwa akụnụba ya niile.
They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
11 Ha na-achọpụta isi mmiri niile ma meekwa ka ihe nzuzo pụta ìhè.
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].
12 Ma olee ebe ka a ga-achọta amamihe? Olee kwa ebe nghọta bi?
“But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
13 Mmadụ apụghị ịghọta ọnụahịa ya, agaghị achọtakwa ya nʼala ndị dị ndụ.
Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
14 Ogbu mmiri na-asị, “Ọ dịghị nʼime m,” osimiri na-asị, “Ọ dịghị nʼaka m.”
[It is as though] water that is deep [inside the earth] and [water that is in] the seas say [PRS], ‘Wisdom is not here!’
15 A gaghị eji ọlaedo a nụchara nke ọma zụta ya, apụghị ịtụ ihe bụ ọnụahịa ya nʼọlaọcha.
[People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
16 A gaghị eji ọlaedo nke Ọfịa zụta ya, a gaghị ejikwa nkume dara oke ọnụahịa nke ọniks maọbụ safaia zụta ya,
Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
17 A gaghị eji ọlaedo maọbụ kristal tụnyere ya, maọbụ iji ejiji ọlaedo nweta ya.
It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
18 Koral na jaspa erughị ihe a na-akpọtụ aha nʼebe ọ dị; ọnụahịa nke amamihe karịrị ọtụtụ rubi.
Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
19 A gaghị eji ọla topaazi nke Kush tụnyere ya; a pụghị iji ọlaedo a nụchara anụcha zụta ya.
The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
20 Olee ebe amamihe si abịa? Olee ebe nghọta bi?
“So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
21 E zoro ya ezo site nʼanya ihe niile dị ndụ, e kpuchikwara ya nye ọ bụladị anụ ufe nke eluigwe.
No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
22 Mbibi na ọnwụ na-asị; “Naanị akụkọ ya ruru anyị ntị.”
[It is as though] the places where people go after they die say [PRS], ‘We have only heard rumors about [where to find wisdom].’
23 Chineke ghọtara ụzọ ya, naanị ya makwara ebe obibi ya dị.
God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
24 Nʼihi na ọ na-ahụ nsọtụ nke ụwa, na-ahụkwa ihe niile dị nʼokpuru eluigwe.
because he can see things even in the most remote/distant places on the earth; he can see everything that is below the sky.
25 Mgbe o hiwere ike nke ikuku, tụọkwa mmiri nʼihe ọtụtụ,
When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
26 mgbe o nyere mmiri ozuzo iwu meekwa ụzọ nye egbe eluigwe na oke ikuku,
and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
27 mgbe ahụ, o lere amamihe anya, nyochasịa ya, meekwa ka o guzosie ike, ma nwapụtakwa ya.
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).
28 Ọ sịrị mmadụ, “Ịtụ egwu Onyenwe anyị, nke ahụ bụ amamihe; ọzọ, ị sị nʼihe ọjọọ wezuga onwe bụ nghọta.”
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.’”
