Jobs 28
1 Sylv hev sin stad, der dei det finn, og gullet, som dei reinsa vinn,
“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 og jarn fram or jordi fær, og kopar ut or steinen bræ’r;
People dig iron [ore] out of the ground, and they (smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it).
3 På natteskuggen gjer dei slutt og myrkheims steinar granskar ut.
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 Djupt under by med annsamt liv i gruvor bergmenn kliv og sviv.
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 På jordi brødkorn fram dei driv, men inni upp som eld dei riv.
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 Safiren sit i steinar der, og der seg og gullklumpar ter,
The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
7 Ei ørnen kjenner denne veg, for haukesyn han løyner seg.
[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 Ei stolte rovdyr vegen fann, og løva aldri gjeng på han.
Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
9 På harde steinen dei handi legg; då sturtar mang ein bergevegg.
Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
10 I berget seg gangar grev og skodar mang ein skatt so gjæv.
They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
11 Dei dytter til for rennand’ å, det løynde fram for ljoset må.
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 Men visdomen, kvar er han å få? Og kvar skal ein vitet nå?
“But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
13 Slett ingen veit hans verd og vinst; i manneheim han ikkje finst;
Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
14 Avgrunnen dyn: «Her ei han er!» Og havet segjer: «Ikkje her!»
[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 Du kann’kje kjøpa han for gull, men sylv ei vega prisen full,
[People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
16 og ei for gull ifrå Ofir, ei for onyks, ei for safir.
Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
17 Ei gull og glas er nok til kaup, og ei til byte fingull-staup.
It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
18 Korall, krystall gjeld ikkje her. Visdom er meir enn perlor verd.
Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
19 Topas frå Kus er altfor ring, ja, reinast gull vert ingen ting.
The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
20 Visdomen, kvar kjem han ifrå? Og kvar skal ein til vitet nå?
“So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
21 Det ingen veit på denne jord; ei fugl det fann, kvar helst han for.
No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
22 Avgrunn og daude segjer greidt: «Eit gjetord er alt det me veit.»
[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 Men Gud han kjenner denne veg; han veit kvar visdom løyner seg.
God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
24 Han skodar heilt til heimsens tram, og under himmeln ser han fram.
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 Då vinden han med vegti vog og sette mål for vatnet og,
When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
26 då han gav regnet lovi si og ljomet veg å ganga i,
and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
27 då såg han og synte fram og granska honom umhugsam.
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 Til menneskja han sagde so: «I Herrens otte visdom sit, og fly det vonde, det er vit.»»
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.’”
