Job 28

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.

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

14The deep hath said, `It <FI>is<Fi> not in me,' And the sea hath said, `It is not with me.'

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

15Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed--its price.

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

16It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out,

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

28And He saith to man: --`Lo, fear of the Lord, that <FI>is<Fi> wisdom, And to turn from evil <FI>is<Fi> understanding.'

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