Job 28
1 habet argentum venarum suarum principia et auro locus est in quo conflatur
“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 ferrum de terra tollitur et lapis solutus calore in aes vertitur
People dig iron [ore] out of the ground, and they (smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it).
3 tempus posuit tenebris et universorum finem ipse considerat lapidem quoque caliginis et umbram mortis
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 dividit torrens a populo peregrinante eos quos oblitus est pes egentis hominum et invios
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 terra de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo igne subversa est
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 locus sapphyri lapides eius et glebae illius aurum
The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
7 semitam ignoravit avis nec intuitus est oculus vulturis
[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 non calcaverunt eam filii institorum nec pertransivit per eam leaena
Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
9 ad silicem extendit manum suam subvertit a radicibus montes
Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
10 in petris rivos excidit et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius
They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
11 profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est et abscondita produxit in lucem
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 sapientia vero ubi invenitur et quis est locus intellegentiae
“But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
13 nescit homo pretium eius nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium
Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
14 abyssus dicit non est in me et mare loquitur non est mecum
[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 non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea nec adpendetur argentum in commutatione eius
[People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
16 non conferetur tinctis Indiae coloribus nec lapidi sardonico pretiosissimo vel sapphyro
Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
17 non adaequabitur ei aurum vel vitrum nec commutabuntur pro ea vasa auri
It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
18 excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur conparatione eius trahitur autem sapientia de occultis
Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
19 non adaequabitur ei topazium de Aethiopia nec tincturae mundissimae conponetur
The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
20 unde ergo sapientia veniet et quis est locus intellegentiae
“So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
21 abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium volucres quoque caeli latet
No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
22 perditio et mors dixerunt auribus nostris audivimus famam eius
[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 Deus intellegit viam eius et ipse novit locum illius
God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
24 ipse enim fines mundi intuetur et omnia quae sub caelo sunt respicit
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 qui fecit ventis pondus et aquas adpendit mensura
When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
26 quando ponebat pluviis legem et viam procellis sonantibus
and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
27 tunc vidit illam et enarravit et praeparavit et investigavit
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 et dixit homini ecce timor Domini ipsa est sapientia et recedere a malo intellegentia
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.’”
