Job 28

Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found

1 There is a mine for silver
and a place where gold is refined.

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

3 Mortals put an end to the darkness;
they search out the farthest recesses
for ore in the blackest darkness.

4 Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,
in places untouched by human feet;
far from other people they dangle and sway.

5 The earth, from which food comes,
is transformed below as by fire;

6 lapis lazuli comes from its rocks,
and its dust contains nuggets of gold.

7 No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
no falcon's eye has seen it.

8 Proud beasts do not set foot on it,
and no lion prowls there.

9 People assault the flinty rock with their hands
and lay bare the roots of the mountains.

10 They tunnel through the rock;
their eyes see all its treasures.

11 They searcht the sources of the rivers
and bring hidden things to light.

12 But where can wisdom be found?
Where does understanding dwell?

13 No mortal comprehends its worth;
it cannot be found in the land of the living.

14 The deep says, "It is not in me";
the sea says, "It is not with me."

15 It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
nor can its price be weighed out in silver.

16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,
with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,
nor can it be had for jewels of gold.

18 Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;
the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

19 The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;
it cannot be bought with pure gold.

20 Where then does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding dwell?

21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
concealed even from the birds in the sky.

22 Destructiont and Death say,
"Only a rumor of it has reached our ears."

23 God understands the way to it
and he alone knows where it dwells,

24 for he views the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.

25 When he established the force of the wind
and measured out the waters,

26 when he made a decree for the rain
and a path for the thunderstorm,

27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
he confirmed it and tested it.

28 And he said to the human race,
"The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
and to shun evil is understanding."

Job 28

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

2 Iron is taken out of the earth, And copper is molten out of the stone.

3  Man setteth an end to darkness, And searcheth out, to the furthest bound, The stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.

4 He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; They are forgotten of the foot; They hang afar from men, they swing to and fro.

5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread; And underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

6 The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, And it hath dust of gold.

7 That path no bird of prey knoweth, Neither hath the falcon’s eye seen it:

8 The proud beasts have not trodden it, Nor hath the fierce lion passed thereby.

9 He putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock; He overturneth the mountains by the roots.

10 He cutteth out channels among the rocks; And his eye seeth every precious thing.

11 He bindeth the streams that they trickle not; And the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.

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

13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; Neither is it found in the land of the living.

14 The deep saith, It is not in me; And the sea saith, It is not with me.

15 It cannot be gotten for gold, Neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, With the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

17 Gold and glass cannot equal it, Neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

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

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

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

21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, And kept close from the birds of the heavens.

22 Destruction and Death say, We have heard a rumor thereof with our ears.

23 God understandeth the way thereof, And he knoweth the place thereof.

24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, And seeth under the whole heaven;

25 To make a weight for the wind: Yea, he meteth out the waters by measure.

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

27 Then did he see it, and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it out.

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