Joba 28
1 Fa misy tany fihadiana volafotsy, ary misy tany fahazoana volamena, izay diovina.
“It is true that there are places where men dig to find silver, and there are places where people refine/purify gold [that they have dug].
2 Ny vy dia alaina avy amin’ ny tany, ary ny varahina arendrika avy amin’ ny vato.
People dig iron [ore] out of the ground, and they (smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it).
3 Ny mpihady vola mampisava ny maizina ka mizaha hatramin’ ny faran’ ny zavatra rehetra ao, dia ny vaton’ ny aizim-pito sy ny aloky ny fahafatesana;
Men use lamps while they work far down under the ground to search for the ore inside the mines where it is very dark.
4 Mihady lavaka mihalavitra amin’ izay itoeran’ olona izy ka tsy ampoizin’ ny tongotra akory, ary mihantona sy mitsingevaheva any ambany lavitra ny olona izy.
They dig (shafts/narrow holes very deep down into the ground) in places that are far from where people live, where travelers do not go. They work far away from [other] people, swinging back and forth on ropes [as they descend into the mine shafts].
5 Ny tany no ihavian’ ny hanina; Ary ny ao ambaniny dia avadika tahaka ny afo.
Food grows on the surface of the ground, but down under the ground, [where there is no food, ] the miners make fires to break apart the rocks.
6 Fitoeran’ ny safira ny vatony, ary misy akoram-bolamena ao aminy
The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
7 Làlana tsy fantatry ny vorona mpihaza ary tsy hitan’ ny mason’ ny voromahery,
[Some birds have very good eyes, ] but even hawks do not know [where the mines are], and falcons/vultures have not seen those places.
8 Sady tsy nodiavin’ ny zanaky ny bibi-dia ary tsy mba nalehan’ ny liona masiaka.
Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
9 Maninjitra ny tànany amin’ ny vatokaranana ireo ary mamadika ny tendrombohitra hatramin’ ny fotony;
Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
10 Ny vatolampy tatahany hatao lalan-drano, ary izay zava-tsoa rehetra dia hitan’ ny masony avokoa.
They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
11 Tampenany ny lalan-drano mba tsy hisy mitete. Ary izay zava-miafina dia avoakany ho amin’ ny mazava.
They dam up small streams in order that water does not flow, and they bring up into the light valuable things that are hidden [in the ground and in the streams].
12 Fa aiza kosa no hahitana ny fahendrena? ary aiza no fitoeran’ ny fahalalana?
“But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
13 Tsy misy zanak’ olombelona mahalala ny vidiny, ary tsy hita eo amin’ ny tanin’ ny velona izy.
Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
14 Hoy ny lalina: Tsy ato anatiko izy; Ary, tsy ato amiko izy, hoy ny ranomasina.
[It is as though] water that is deep [inside the earth] and [water that is in] the seas say [PRS], ‘Wisdom is not here!’
15 Ny volamena tsara tsy mahatakalo azy, ary ny volafotsy tsy azo lanjaina ho vidiny;
[People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
16 Ny volamena avy any Ofira tsy ampy ho tombany, na ny beryla saro-bidy sy ny safira aza.
Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
17 Ny volamena sy ny fitaratra tsy azo ampitahaina aminy, ary tsy azo takalozana firavaka tena volamena izy.
It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
18 Tsy tokony hotsaroana akory ny voahangy sy ny vato krystaly, fa ny fahazoana fahendrena dia mihoatra noho ny voahangy.
Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
19 Ny topaza avy any Etiopia dia tsy azo ampitahaina aminy, ary tsy mahatakalo azy ny tena volamena tsara
The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
20 Dia avy aiza ary ny fahendrena? Ary aiza no fitoeran’ ny fahalalana?
“So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
21 Miafina amin’ ny mason’ ny velona rehetra izany ary takona amin’ ny voro-manidina.
No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
22 Hoy Abadona sy Ifahafatesana: Ny sofinay ihany no nandrenesany ny filazana azy.
[It is as though] the places where people go after they die say [PRS], ‘We have only heard rumors about [where to find wisdom].’
23 Andriamanitra ihany no mahalala ny lalana ho any aminy, ary Izy no mahafantatra ny itoerany;
God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
24 Fa Izy no mitsinjo hatramin’ ny faran’ ny tany ary mahatazana manerana izao ambanin’ ny lanitra rehetra izao,
because he can see things even in the most remote/distant places on the earth; he can see everything that is below the sky.
25 Ka manendry ny lanjan’ ny rivotra ary mamatra ny rano amin’ ny famarana.
When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
26 Raha nanao lalana ho an’ ny ranonorana Izy sy lalana halehan’ ny helatry ny kotrokorana,
and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
27 Dia nahita ka nanambara azy Izy; Eny, nanorina azy Izy sady namantatra azy;
at that time he saw wisdom and decided that it is extremely valuable. He examined it and (approved it/said that it was very good).
28 Dia hoy Izy tamin’ ny olona: Indro, ny fahatahorana ny Tompo no fahendrena. Ary ny fialàna amin’ ny ratsy no fahalalana.
And [then] he said to humans, ‘Listen! To have an awesome respect for me is [what will enable you to become] wise; and to truly understand everything, you must first turn away from doing what is evil.’”
