Job 28
1 Sølvet har jo sit Leje, som renses, sit sted
Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold which they refine;
2 Jern hentes op af Jorden, og Sten smeltes om til Kobber.
Iron is taken out of the dust, and copper is molten out of the stone.
3 På Mørket gør man en Ende og ransager indtil de dybeste Kroge Mørkets og Mulmets Sten;
[Man] putteth an end to the darkness, and exploreth to the utmost limit, the stones of darkness and of the shadow of death.
4 man bryder en Skakt under Foden, og glemte, foruden Fodfæste, hænger de svævende fjernt fra Mennesker.
He openeth a shaft far from the inhabitants [of the earth]: forgotten of the foot, they hang suspended; away below men they hover.
5 Af Jorden fremvokser Brød, imedens dens Indre omvæltes som af Ild;
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as by fire;
6 i Stenen der sidder Safiren, og der er Guldstøv i den.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.
7 Stien derhen er Rovfuglen ukendt, Falkens Øje udspejder den ikke;
It is a path no bird of prey knoweth, and the vulture's eye hath not seen it;
8 den trædes ikke af stolte Vilddyr, Løven skrider ej frem ad den.
The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed over it.
9 På Flinten lægger man Hånd og omvælter Bjerge fra Roden;
[Man] putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock, he overturneth the mountains by the root.
10 i Klipperne hugger man Gange, alskens Klenodier skuer Øjet;
He cutteth out channels in the rocks, and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 man tilstopper Strømmenes Kilder og bringer det skjulte for Lyset.
He bindeth the streams that they drip not, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
12 Men Visdommen - hvor mon den findes, og hvor er Indsigtens Sted?
But wisdom, where shall it be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Mennesket kender ikke dens Vej, den findes ej i de levendes Land;
Man knoweth not the value thereof; and it is not found in the land of the living.
14 Dybet siger: "I mig er den ikke!" Havet: "Ej heller hos mig!"
The deep saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 Man får den ej for det fineste Guld, for Sølv kan den ikke købes,
Choice gold cannot be given for it, nor silver be weighed for its price.
16 den opvejes ikke med Ofirguld, med kostelig Sjoham eller Safir;
It is not set in the balance with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, and the sapphire.
17 Guld og Glar kan ej måle sig med den, den fås ej i Bytte for gyldne Kar,
Gold and glass cannot be compared to it, nor vessels of fine gold be its exchange.
18 Krystal og Koraller ikke at nævne. At eje Visdom er mere end Perler,
Corals and crystal are no more remembered; yea, the acquisition of wisdom is above rubies.
19 Ætiopiens Topas kan ej måle sig med den, den opvejes ej med det rene Guld.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be compared to it, neither shall it be set in the balance with pure gold.
20 Men Visdommen - hvor mon den kommer fra, og hvor er Indsigtens Sted?
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 Den er dulgt for alt levendes Øje og skjult for Himmelens Fugle;
For it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the fowl of the heavens.
22 Afgrund og Død må sige: "Vi hørte kun tale derom."
Destruction and death say, We have heard its report with our ears.
23 Gud er kendt med dens Vej, han ved, hvor den har sit Sted;
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth its place:
24 thi han skuer til Jordens Ender, alt under Himmelen ser han.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, he seeth under the whole heaven.
25 Dengang han fastsatte Vindens Vægt og målte Vandet med Mål,
In making a weight for the wind, and meting out the waters by measure,
26 da han satte en Lov for Regnen, afmærked Tordenskyen dens Vej,
In appointing a statute for the rain, and a way for the thunder's flash:
27 da skued og mønstred han den, han stilled den op og ransaged den.
Then did he see it, and declare it; he established it, yea, and searched it out;
28 Men til Mennesket sagde han: "Se, HERRENs Frygt, det er Visdom, at sky det onde er Indsigt."
And unto man he said, Lo, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
