Joba 28
1 Toe ao ty lakato fitsikaraham-bolafoty naho ty toem-pitranaham-bolamena.
Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold which they refine;
2 Akareñe an-debok’ ao ty viñe, le tranaheñe am-bongam-bato ty torisike.
Iron is taken out of the dust, and copper is molten out of the stone.
3 Fongore’e ty ieñe, tsikarahe’e pak’ am-para-piefera’e ao ty vato, an-kamoromoroñañe naho an-talinjon-kavilasy ao.
[Man] putteth an end to the darkness, and exploreth to the utmost limit, the stones of darkness and of the shadow of death.
4 Anokafa’e lalam-pigodañañe, lavi-pimoneñañe; andikofam-pandia, miradorado ao, mitsikadròtse lavits’ ondaty.
He openeth a shaft far from the inhabitants [of the earth]: forgotten of the foot, they hang suspended; away below men they hover.
5 Ty tane toy, ama’e ty iboaha’ ty mahakama; ambane’e ao hoe trobotroboen’ afo.
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as by fire;
6 Angalan-tsafira o vato’eo, naho volamena an-debo’e ao.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.
7 Tsy hay o voro-pamaokeo i lalañey; tsy trea’ ty maso’ i hitikitikey.
It is a path no bird of prey knoweth, and the vulture's eye hath not seen it;
8 Tsy nilià’ o bibi-ly mpireñetseo; mbe tsy nipiapia ambone’e eo ty liona.
The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed over it.
9 Ahiti’e mb’amo vato-pilakeo ty fità’e vaho avalitaboa’e reke-bahatse o vohitseo.
[Man] putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock, he overturneth the mountains by the root.
10 Kaohe’e amo vatoo ty talàha vaho oni-pihaino’e ze atao vara.
He cutteth out channels in the rocks, and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 Sebaña’e o torahañeo tsy hiorike; aboa’e mb’an-kazavàñe o raha nikafitseo.
He bindeth the streams that they drip not, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
12 Fe aia ty hahaoniñañe hihitse? Aia ka ty toe’ o hilalao?
But wisdom, where shall it be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Tsy fohi’ondaty ty vili’e, toe tsy tendrek’ an-tane’ o veloñeo.
Man knoweth not the value thereof; and it is not found in the land of the living.
14 hoe i lalekey, Tsy amako atoa; le hoe i riakey, Tsy amako etoa.
The deep saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 Tsy ikaloam-bolamena, vaho tsy andanjàm-bolafoty.
Choice gold cannot be given for it, nor silver be weighed for its price.
16 Tsy añoharañe ami’ty volamena’ i Ofire, ndra an-tsohame sarotse ndra safira.
It is not set in the balance with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, and the sapphire.
17 Tsy añirinkiriña’ ty volamena ndra ty kristaly, tsy tsalohem-panake volamena ki’e.
Gold and glass cannot be compared to it, nor vessels of fine gold be its exchange.
18 Tsy ivolañañe ty vaton-driake ndra vato-soa; ambone’ o hangeo ty fikaloan-kihitse.
Corals and crystal are no more remembered; yea, the acquisition of wisdom is above rubies.
19 Tsy oharañe ama’e ty pit-dae’ i Kose, tsy ibalibalihem-bolamena hiringiri’e.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be compared to it, neither shall it be set in the balance with pure gold.
20 Hirik’ aia arè o hihitseo? Vaho aia ty toe’ o hilalao?
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 Ie mikafits’ am-pihaino’ ze atao veloñe, vaho mietak’ amo voron-tiokeo.
For it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the fowl of the heavens.
22 Hoe ty Tsikeokeoke naho i Havilasy: fa nahatsanon-talily aze o sofi’aio.
Destruction and death say, We have heard its report with our ears.
23 Arofoanan’ Añahare i lala’ey, fohi’e ka i toe’ey.
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth its place:
24 Jilove’e pak’ añ’olo’ ty tane toy, vazoho’e ze he’e ambanen-dikerañe ao.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, he seeth under the whole heaven.
25 Ie nanolora’e lanja o tiokeo, vaho nanjara’e an-kapoake o ranoo;
In making a weight for the wind, and meting out the waters by measure,
26 ie nafepè’e o orañeo, naho ty lala’ o helats’ampiñeo;
In appointing a statute for the rain, and a way for the thunder's flash:
27 Le nivazohoe’e, nitseize’e; najado’e vaho tsinikara’e.
Then did he see it, and declare it; he established it, yea, and searched it out;
28 Le hoe re am’ondatio, Inao: Ty fañeveñañe amy Talè, Izay ro hihitse; ty fisitahañe an-karatiañe ro hilala.
And unto man he said, Lo, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
