Job 28

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

1Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;

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

2Iron from the dust is taken, And <FI>from<Fi> the firm stone brass.

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.

3An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade.

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.

4A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.

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

5The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire.

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

6A place of the sapphire <FI>are<Fi> its stones, And it hath dust of gold.

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

7A path--not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,

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

8Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.

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

9Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.

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

10Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.

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

11From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out <FI>to<Fi> light.

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

12And the wisdom--whence is it found? And where <FI>is<Fi> this, the place of understanding?

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

13Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it 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 hath said, `It <FI>is<Fi> not in me,' And the sea hath said, `It is not with me.'

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

15Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed--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 valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,

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

17Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor <FI>is<Fi> its exchange a vessel of fine gold.

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

18Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom <FI>is<Fi> above rubies.

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

19Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.

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

20And the wisdom--whence doth it come? And where <FI>is<Fi> this, the place of understanding?

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

21It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden.

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

22Destruction and death have said: `With our ears we have heard its fame.'

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

23God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.

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

24For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,

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

25To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure.

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

26In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,

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

27Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also 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 He saith to man: --`Lo, fear of the Lord, that <FI>is<Fi> wisdom, And to turn from evil <FI>is<Fi> understanding.'