Job 28

¹Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out.

²Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire.

³Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark.

⁴He 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.

⁵As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire.

⁶Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.

⁷No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it.

⁸The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way.

⁹Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots.

¹⁰He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value.

¹¹He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light.

¹²But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?

¹³Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living.

¹⁴The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.

¹⁵Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it.

¹⁶It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire.

¹⁷Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold.

¹⁸There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls.

¹⁹The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold.

²⁰From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?

²¹For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air.

²²Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears.

²³God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place;

²⁴For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven.

²⁵When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters;

²⁶When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;

²⁷Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely.

²⁸And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.

Job 28

¹"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.

²Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.

³Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.

⁴He 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.

⁵As for the earth, out of it comes bread; Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

⁶Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.

⁷That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon's eye seen it.

⁸The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.

⁹He puts forth his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.

¹⁰He cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.

¹¹He binds the streams that they do not trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings forth to light.

¹²"But where shall wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?

¹³Man doesn't know its price; Neither is it found in the land of the living.

¹⁴The deep says, 'It isn't in me.' The sea says, 'It isn't with me.'

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

¹⁶It can't be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

¹⁷Gold and glass can't equal it, neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

¹⁸No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.

¹⁹The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

²⁰Whence then comes wisdom? Where is the place of understanding?

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

²²Destruction and Death say, 'We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.'

²³"God understands its way, and he knows its place.

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

²⁵He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures out the waters by measure.

²⁶When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder;

²⁷then he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.

²⁸To man he said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.'"