Job 28

1 For 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 dust, and brass is molten out of the stone.

Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire.

3 Man setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out to the furthest bound the stones of thick darkness and of the shadow of death.

Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark.

4 He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; they are forgotten of the foot that passeth by; 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 cometh 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 thereof are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.

Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.

7 That path no bird of prey knoweth, neither hath 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 hath the lion passed thereby.

The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way.

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

Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots.

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

He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value.

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

He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light.

12 But wisdom, where shall it 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 knoweth not the price thereof; neither 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 saith: 'It is not in me'; and the sea saith: '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, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

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; neither shall the exchange thereof be vessels 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, neither 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 Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?

From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?

21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

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 thereof with our ears.'

Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears.

23 God understandeth the way thereof, and He knoweth the place thereof.

God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place;

24 For He looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven.

25 When He maketh a weight for the wind, and meteth out 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 storm of thunders;

When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;

27 Then did He see it, and declare 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 unto 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.