Job 28- 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
- Man puts an end to the darkness; he searches the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness.
- 4
- Far from where people dwell he cuts a shaft, in places forgotten by the foot of man; far from men he dangles and sways.
- 5
- The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire;
- 6
- sapphires [1] come 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
- Man's hand assaults the flinty rock and lays bare the roots of the mountains.
- 10
- He tunnels through the rock; his eyes see all its treasures.
- 11
- He searches [2] the sources of the rivers and brings hidden things to light.
- 12
- "But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?
- 13
- Man does not comprehend 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 in silver.
- 16
- It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or sapphires.
- 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 of the air.
- 22
- Destruction [3] 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 man, `The fear of the Lord--that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'"
- [6] Or lapis lazuli; also in verse 16
- [11] Septuagint, Aquila and Vulgate; Hebrew He dams up
- [22] Hebrew Abaddon