Job 28
1 Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.
Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is molten out of the stone.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire.
3 Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out to the furthest bound the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.
Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark.
4 He breaks open a shaft away from where men sojourn, paths forgotten by the foot. They hang afar from men; they swing to and fro.
He makes a deep mine far away from those living in the light of day; when they go about on the earth, they have no knowledge of those who are under them, who are hanging far from men, twisting from side to side on a cord.
5 As for the earth, out of it comes bread, and underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire.
6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.
Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.
7 No bird of prey knows that path, nor has the falcon's eye seen it.
No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it.
8 The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed thereby.
The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way.
9 He puts forth his hand upon the flinty rock. He overturns the mountains by the roots.
Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots.
10 He cuts out channels among the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing.
He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value.
11 He binds the streams that they not trickle. And the thing that is hid he brings forth to light.
He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light.
12 But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
13 Man does not know the price of it, nor is it found in the land of the living.
Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living.
14 The deep says, It is not in me. And the sea says, It is not with me.
The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.
15 It cannot be gotten for gold, nor shall silver be weighed for the price of it.
Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it.
16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire.
17 Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal. Yea, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, nor shall it be valued with pure gold.
The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold.
20 Where then does wisdom come from? And where is the place of understanding?
From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
21 Since it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept closed from the birds of the heavens.
For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air.
22 Destruction and Death say, We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.
Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears.
23 God understands the way of it, and he knows the place of it.
God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place;
24 For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole heaven,
For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven.
25 to make a weight for the wind. Yea, he distributes the waters by measure.
When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters;
26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;
27 then he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yea, and searched it out.
Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely.
28 And to man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.
And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
