Job 28
1 Sølvet har jo sit Leje, som renses, sit sted
Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out.
2 Jern hentes op af Jorden, og Sten smeltes om til Kobber.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire.
3 På Mørket gør man en Ende og ransager indtil de dybeste Kroge Mørkets og Mulmets Sten;
Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark.
4 man bryder en Skakt under Foden, og glemte, foruden Fodfæste, hænger de svævende fjernt fra Mennesker.
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 Af Jorden fremvokser Brød, imedens dens Indre omvæltes som af Ild;
As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire.
6 i Stenen der sidder Safiren, og der er Guldstøv i den.
Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.
7 Stien derhen er Rovfuglen ukendt, Falkens Øje udspejder den ikke;
No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it.
8 den trædes ikke af stolte Vilddyr, Løven skrider ej frem ad den.
The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way.
9 På Flinten lægger man Hånd og omvælter Bjerge fra Roden;
Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots.
10 i Klipperne hugger man Gange, alskens Klenodier skuer Øjet;
He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value.
11 man tilstopper Strømmenes Kilder og bringer det skjulte for Lyset.
He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light.
12 Men Visdommen - hvor mon den findes, og hvor er Indsigtens Sted?
But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
13 Mennesket kender ikke dens Vej, den findes ej i de levendes Land;
Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living.
14 Dybet siger: "I mig er den ikke!" Havet: "Ej heller hos mig!"
The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.
15 Man får den ej for det fineste Guld, for Sølv kan den ikke købes,
Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it.
16 den opvejes ikke med Ofirguld, med kostelig Sjoham eller Safir;
It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire.
17 Guld og Glar kan ej måle sig med den, den fås ej i Bytte for gyldne Kar,
Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold.
18 Krystal og Koraller ikke at nævne. At eje Visdom er mere end Perler,
There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls.
19 Ætiopiens Topas kan ej måle sig med den, den opvejes ej med det rene Guld.
The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold.
20 Men Visdommen - hvor mon den kommer fra, og hvor er Indsigtens Sted?
From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
21 Den er dulgt for alt levendes Øje og skjult for Himmelens Fugle;
For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air.
22 Afgrund og Død må sige: "Vi hørte kun tale derom."
Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears.
23 Gud er kendt med dens Vej, han ved, hvor den har sit Sted;
God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place;
24 thi han skuer til Jordens Ender, alt under Himmelen ser han.
For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven.
25 Dengang han fastsatte Vindens Vægt og målte Vandet med Mål,
When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters;
26 da han satte en Lov for Regnen, afmærked Tordenskyen dens Vej,
When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;
27 da skued og mønstred han den, han stilled den op og ransaged den.
Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely.
28 Men til Mennesket sagde han: "Se, HERRENs Frygt, det er Visdom, at sky det onde er Indsigt."
And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
