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 smelted out of the ore.

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 people live. They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.

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

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

7 That path no bird of prey knows, neither 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 animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.

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

9 He puts forth his hand on the flinty rock, and 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. 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 do not trickle. The thing that is hidden 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? Where is the place of understanding?

But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?

13 Man doesn't know its price; 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 says, 'It isn't in me.' The sea says, 'It isn't with me.'

The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.

15 It can't be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for its price.

Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it.

16 It can't 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 can't equal it, neither 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. Yes, 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 From where then comes wisdom? Where is the place of understanding?

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

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

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 its way, and he knows its place.

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

24 For he looks to the farthest parts of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.

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

25 He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures 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 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, yes, and searched it out.

Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely.

28 To man he said, 'Look, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. 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.