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Job 28

Wisdom only comes from God

28 ‘If people want to find silver,
they can dig it out of the ground.
They also have places where they can make gold pure.
2 They know how to take iron from under the ground.
They can also use heat to get copper from rocks.
3 People take light into dark places under the ground.
They look carefully for valuable metals.
4 They dig deep holes in the ground
far away from places where people live.
Other people do not know about those places.
People hang on ropes as they go deep down into the earth.
5 We grow our food on the earth above.
But deep under the ground, people use fire to break the rocks.
6 Sapphires come from the rocks in those places. [ a ]
The dust there contains gold.
7 Even eagles or other birds with good eyes
do not see those places.
8 Lions and other wild animals do not walk there.
9 People break into the hard rocks.
They turn over rocks under the mountains.
10 They cut holes through the rocks.
They discover stones that are very valuable.
11 They look carefully in the springs of water
where rivers start.
They bring into the light things that were hidden away.

12 But as for wisdom,
people do not know where to find it.
They cannot learn how to understand things properly.
13 Humans do not understand the value of wisdom.
They cannot find it in this world where people live.
14 Wisdom is not in the sea.
Even in the deepest sea, no one will find it.
15 Nobody can buy wisdom.
You may have lots of gold and silver,
but you can never buy wisdom.
16 All the pure gold from Ophir will not be enough to buy it.
It is worth more than valuable onyx or sapphires.
17 Neither gold nor beautiful glass is as valuable as wisdom.
A whole pot full of gold could not buy it.
18 As for coral and jasper,
they are not nearly as valuable as wisdom. [ b ]
Its price is more than the price of rubies.
19 Topaz from Ethiopia is not as valuable as wisdom.
No one can buy it,
not even with pure gold. [ c ]

20 So where can we find wisdom?
Where can we learn to understand things properly?
21 We cannot see where it is.
No person or animal can see it.
No bird that flies in the sky can see it.
22 In the place of death, they say,
“We have heard only a little about wisdom,
and where to find it.”
23 Only God knows the way to find wisdom.
Only he knows where it is.
24 He can see to the ends of the earth.
He knows what happens everywhere in the world.
25 He decided how strong the wind must be.
He decided the size of the seas.
26 He made a command for the rain
to decide where it should fall.
He chose where storms should go and make thunder.
27 Then he thought about wisdom and its value.
He prepared it and he tested it.
28 God said this to us humans:
“If you want to be wise,
learn to respect the Lord with fear.
If you want to understand things properly,
turn away from evil acts.” ’

Footnotes

  1. 28:6 ‘Sapphires’ are beautiful jewels.
  2. 28:18 Coral is found in the sea and people use it as a beautiful jewel.
  3. 28:19 Onyx, sapphires, jasper, rubies and topaz are all valuable jewels.

The Value of Wisdom

28 “There are mines where people get silver
and places where people melt gold to make it pure.
2 Iron is dug out of the ground,
and copper is melted out of the rocks.
3 Miners carry lights deep into caves
to search for these rocks in the deepest darkness.
4 Far from where people live, they dig deep into the ground,
down where no one else has been before.
There they work all alone, hanging from ropes.
5 Food grows on the ground above.
But underground it is different,
as if everything were melted by fire.
6 In the rocks there are sapphires
and grains of pure gold.
7 Wild birds know nothing about the way to these places.
No falcon [ a ] has ever seen it.
8 Wild animals have never been there.
Lions have not traveled that way.
9 Miners dig the hardest rocks.
They dig away at the mountains and make them bare.
10 They cut tunnels through the rocks
and see all the treasures they hold.
11 They even find places where rivers begin.
They bring to light what once was hidden.

12 “But where can anyone find wisdom?
Where can we get understanding?
13 People don’t know where wisdom is.
It cannot be found by anyone on earth.
14 The deep ocean says, ‘It’s not here with me.’
The sea says, ‘It’s not here with me.’
15 You cannot buy wisdom with even the purest gold.
There’s not enough silver in the world to pay for it.
16 You cannot buy it with gold from Ophir
or with precious onyx or sapphires.
17 Wisdom is worth more than gold or crystal.
It cannot be bought with expensive jewels set in gold.
18 It is far more valuable than coral and jasper,
more precious than rubies.
19 The topaz from Ethiopia cannot match its value,
which is greater than the purest gold.

20 “So where does wisdom come from?
Where can we find understanding?
21 Wisdom is hidden from every living thing on earth.
Even birds in the sky cannot see it.
22 Death and destruction [ b ] say,
‘We have never seen wisdom;
we have only heard rumors about it.’

23 “Only God knows the way to wisdom.
Only he knows where wisdom is.
24 He can see to the very ends of the earth.
He sees everything under the sky.
25 God gave the wind its power.
He decided how big to make the oceans.
26 He decided where to send the rain
and where the thunderstorms should go.
27 He looked at wisdom and discussed it.
He examined it and saw how much it is worth.
28 Then he said to humans,
‘To fear and respect the Lord is wisdom.
To turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Footnotes

  1. Job 28:7 falcon A kind of bird, like a hawk.
  2. Job 28:22 Death and destruction Or “Abaddon,” a Hebrew name meaning “death” or “destruction.” See Rev. 9:11.

28 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.

2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.

3 He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.

4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.

5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.

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

7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:

8 The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.

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

10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.

11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing; 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 depth 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 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for 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 fowls of the air.

22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame 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 the weight for the winds; and he weigheth 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 prepared 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.

Job Tells of Earth’s Treasures

28 “Certainly there is a [ a ] mine for silver
And a place [ b ] for refining gold.
2 Iron is taken from the dust,
And copper is smelted from rock.
3 Man puts an end to darkness,
And ( A ) to the farthest limit he searches out
The rock in gloom and deep shadow.
4 He [ c ] sinks a shaft away from [ d ] inhabited areas,
Forgotten by the foot;
They hang and swing, away from people.
5 [ e ] From the earth comes food,
And underneath, it is turned over like fire.
6 Its rocks are the [ f ] source of sapphires,
And its dust contains gold.
7 No bird of prey knows the path,
Nor has the falcon’s eye caught sight of it.
8 The [ g ] proud animals have not trodden it,
Nor has the lion passed over it.
9 He puts his hand on the flint;
He overturns the mountains at the [ h ] base.
10 He carves out channels through the rocks,
And his eye sees anything precious.
11 He dams up the streams from [ i ] flowing,
And brings to light what is hidden.

The Search for Wisdom Is Harder

12 “But ( B ) where can wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
13 ( C ) Mankind does not know its value,
Nor is it found in the land of the living.
14 The ocean depth says, ‘It is not in me’;
And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
15 ( D ) Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it,
Nor can silver be weighed as its price.
16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
In precious onyx, or sapphire.
17 ( E ) Gold or glass cannot equal it,
Nor can it be exchanged for articles of pure gold.
18 Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned;
And the acquisition of ( F ) wisdom is more valuable than pearls.
19 The topaz of [ j ] Cush cannot equal it,
Nor can it be valued in ( G ) pure gold.
20 ( H ) Where then does wisdom come from?
And where is this place of understanding?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living creature ,
And concealed from the birds of the sky.
22 [ k ] ( I ) Abaddon and Death say,
‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’

23 “ ( J ) God understands its way,
And He knows its place.
24 For He ( K ) looks to the ends of the earth;
He sees everything under the heavens.
25 When He imparted ( L ) weight to the wind,
And ( M ) assessed the waters by measure,
26 When He made a ( N ) limit for the rain,
And a course for the ( O ) thunderbolt,
27 Then He saw it and declared it;
He established it and also searched it out.
28 And to mankind He said, ‘Behold, the ( P ) fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
And to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Footnotes

  1. Job 28:1 Lit source
  2. Job 28:1 Lit for gold they refine
  3. Job 28:4 Lit breaks open
  4. Job 28:4 Lit sojourning
  5. Job 28:5 Lit Earth, from it
  6. Job 28:6 Or place
  7. Job 28:8 Lit sons of pride
  8. Job 28:9 Lit root
  9. Job 28:11 Lit weeping
  10. Job 28:19 Or Ethiopia
  11. Job 28:22 I.e., Destruction

Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found

28 There is a mine for silver
and a place where gold is refined. ( A )
2 Iron is taken from the earth,
and copper is smelted from ore. ( B )
3 Mortals put an end to the darkness; ( C )
they search out the farthest recesses
for ore in the blackest darkness. ( D )
4 Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft, ( E )
in places untouched by human feet;
far from other people they dangle and sway.
5 The earth, from which food comes, ( F )
is transformed below as by fire;
6 lapis lazuli ( G ) comes from its rocks,
and its dust contains nuggets of gold. ( H )
7 No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
no falcon’s eye has seen it. ( I )
8 Proud beasts ( J ) do not set foot on it,
and no lion prowls there. ( K )
9 People assault the flinty rock ( L ) with their hands
and lay bare the roots of the mountains. ( M )
10 They tunnel through the rock; ( N )
their eyes see all its treasures. ( O )
11 They search [ a ] the sources of the rivers ( P )
and bring hidden things ( Q ) to light.

12 But where can wisdom be found? ( R )
Where does understanding dwell? ( S )
13 No mortal comprehends its worth; ( T )
it cannot be found in the land of the living. ( U )
14 The deep ( V ) says, “It is not in me”;
the sea ( W ) says, “It is not with me.”
15 It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
nor can its price be weighed out in silver. ( X )
16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, ( Y )
with precious onyx or lapis lazuli. ( Z )
17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, ( AA )
nor can it be had for jewels of gold. ( AB )
18 Coral ( AC ) and jasper ( AD ) are not worthy of mention;
the price of wisdom is beyond rubies. ( AE )
19 The topaz ( AF ) of Cush ( AG ) cannot compare with it;
it cannot be bought with pure gold. ( AH )

20 Where then does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding dwell? ( AI )
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
concealed even from the birds in the sky. ( AJ )
22 Destruction [ b ] ( AK ) and Death ( AL ) say,
“Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
23 God understands the way to it
and he alone ( AM ) knows where it dwells, ( AN )
24 for he views the ends of the earth ( AO )
and sees everything under the heavens. ( AP )
25 When he established the force of the wind
and measured out the waters, ( AQ )
26 when he made a decree for the rain ( AR )
and a path for the thunderstorm, ( AS )
27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
he confirmed it and tested it. ( AT )
28 And he said to the human race,
“The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
and to shun evil ( AU ) is understanding.” ( AV )

Footnotes

  1. Job 28:11 Septuagint, Aquila and Vulgate; Hebrew They dam up
  2. Job 28:22 Hebrew Abaddon
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