Job 28

1 Silver hath beginnings of its veins, and gold hath a place wherein it is melted.

For there is a place for the silver, whence it comes, and a place for the gold, whence it is refined.

2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone melted with heat is turned into brass.

For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone.

3 He hath set a time for darkness, and the end of all things he considereth, the stone also that is in the dark and the shadow of death.

He has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone [is] darkness, and the shadow of death.

4 The flood divideth from the people that are on their journey, those whom the food of the needy man hath forgotten, and who cannot be come at.

There is a cutting off the torrent by reason of dust: so they that forget the right way are weakened; they are removed from [amongst] men.

5 The land, out of which bread grew in its place, hath been overturned with fire.

[As for] the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire.

6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and the clods of it are gold.

Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and [her] dust [supplies] man with gold.

7 The bird hath not known the path, neither hath the eye of the vulture beheld it.

[There is] a path, the fowl has not known it, neither has the eye of the vulture seen it:

8 The children of the merchants have not trodden it, neither hath the lioness passed by it.

neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it.

9 He hath stretched forth his hand to the flint, he hath overturned mountains from the roots.

He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp [rock], and turned up mountains by the roots:

10 In the rocks he hath cut out rivers, and his eye hath seen every precious thing.

and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers, and mine eye has seen every precious thing.

11 The depths also of rivers he hath searched, and hidden things he hath brought forth to light.

And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.

12 But where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?

But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?

13 Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of them that live in delights.

A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered amongst men.

14 The depth saith: It is not in me: and the sea saith: It is not with me.

The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.

15 The finest gold shall not purchase it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.

One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.

16 It shall not be compared with the dyed colours of India, or with the most precious stone sardonyx, or the sapphire.

Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire.

17 Gold or crystal cannot equal it, neither shall any vessels of gold be changed for it.

Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it, neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange.

18 High and eminent things shall not be mentioned in comparison of it: but wisdom is drawn out of secret places.

Coral and fine pearl shall not be mentioned: but do you esteem wisdom above the most precious things.

19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equal to it, neither shall it be compared to the cleanest dyeing.

The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equalled to it; it shall not be compared with pure gold.

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

Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?

21 It is hid from the eyes of all living. and the fowls of the air know it not.

It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky.

22 Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard the fame thereof.

Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it.

23 God understandeth the way of it, and he knoweth the place thereof.

God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it.

24 For he beholdeth the ends of the world: and looketh on all things that are under heaven.

For he surveys the whole [earth] under heaven, knowing the things in the earth:

25 Who made a weight for the winds and weighed the waters by measure.

all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.

26 When he gave a law for the rain, and a way for the sounding storms.

When he made [them], thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder.

27 Then he saw it, and declared, and prepared, and searched it.

Then he saw it, and declared it: he prepared it [and] traced it out.

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

And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.