Job 28

1 Surely there is a mine for silver, And a place for gold which they refine.

“Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.

2 Iron is taken out of the earth, And copper is molten out of the stone.

Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.

3 [Man] setteth an end to darkness, And searcheth out, to the furthest bound, The stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.

Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.

4 He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; They are forgotten of the foot; They hang afar from men, they swing to and fro.

He breaks open a shaft away from where people live. They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.

5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread; And underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

As for the earth, out of it comes bread. Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

6 The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, And it hath dust of gold.

Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.

7 That path no bird of prey knoweth, Neither hath the falcon’s eye seen it:

That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon’s eye seen it.

8 The proud beasts have not trodden it, Nor hath the fierce lion passed thereby.

The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.

9 He putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock; He overturneth the mountains by the roots.

He puts his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.

10 He cutteth out channels among the rocks; And his eye seeth every precious thing.

He cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.

11 He bindeth the streams that they trickle not; And the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.

He binds the streams that they don’t trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings out to light.

12 But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?

“But where will wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?

13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; Neither is it found in the land of the living.

Man doesn’t know its price, and it isn’t found in the land of the living.

14 The deep saith, It is not in me; And the sea saith, It is not with me.

The deep says, ‘It isn’t in me.’ The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’

15 It cannot be gotten for gold, Neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

It can’t be gotten for gold, neither will silver be weighed for its price.

16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, With the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

It can’t be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

17 Gold and glass cannot equal it, Neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

Gold and glass can’t equal it, neither will it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal: Yea, the price of wisdom is above rubies.

No mention will be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.

19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

The topaz of Ethiopia will not equal it. It won’t be valued with pure gold.

20 Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?

Where then does wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding?

21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, And kept close from the birds of the heavens.

Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky.

22 Destruction and Death say, We have heard a rumor thereof with our ears.

Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’

23 God understandeth the way thereof, And he knoweth the place thereof.

“God understands its way, and he knows its place.

24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, And seeth under the whole heaven;

For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.

25 To make a weight for the wind: Yea, he meteth out the waters by measure.

He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures out the waters by measure.

26 When he made a decree for the rain, And a way for the lightning of the thunder;

When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder,

27 Then did he see it, and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it out.

then he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.

28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.

To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”