Job 28

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

1Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold which they refine;

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

2Iron is taken out of the dust, and copper is molten out of the stone.

3He 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.

3[Man] putteth an end to the darkness, and exploreth to the utmost limit, the stones of darkness and of the shadow of death.

4The 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.

4He openeth a shaft far from the inhabitants [of the earth]: forgotten of the foot, they hang suspended; away below men they hover.

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

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

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

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

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

7It is a path no bird of prey knoweth, and the vulture's eye hath not seen it;

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

8The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed over it.

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

9[Man] putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock, he overturneth the mountains by the root.

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

10He cutteth out channels in the rocks, and his eye seeth every precious thing.

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

11He bindeth the streams that they drip not, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.

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

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

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

13Man knoweth not the value thereof; and it is not found in the land of the living.

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

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

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

15Choice gold cannot be given for it, nor silver be weighed for its price.

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

16It is not set in the balance with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, and the sapphire.

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

17Gold and glass cannot be compared to it, nor vessels of fine gold be its exchange.

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

18Corals and crystal are no more remembered; yea, the acquisition of wisdom is above rubies.

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

19The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be compared to it, neither shall it be set in the balance with pure gold.

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

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

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

21For it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the fowl of the heavens.

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

22Destruction and death say, We have heard its report with our ears.

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

23God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth its place:

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

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

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

25In making a weight for the wind, and meting out the waters by measure,

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

26In appointing a statute for the rain, and a way for the thunder's flash:

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

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

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

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