Job 28 / 42
- 1"There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.
- 2Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.
- 3Man puts an end to the darkness; he searches the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness.
- 4Far from where people dwell he cuts a shaft, in places forgotten by the foot of man; far from men he dangles and sways.
- 5The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire;
- 6sapphires come from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold.
- 7No bird of prey knows that hidden path, no falcon's eye has seen it.
- 8Proud beasts do not set foot on it, and no lion prowls there.
- 9Man's hand assaults the flinty rock and lays bare the roots of the mountains.
- 10He tunnels through the rock; his eyes see all its treasures.
- 11He searches the sources of the rivers and brings hidden things to light.
- 12"But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?
- 13Man does not comprehend its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living.
- 14The deep says, 'It is not in me'; the sea says, 'It is not with me.'
- 15It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed in silver.
- 16It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or sapphires.
- 17Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold.
- 18Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
- 19The 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?
- 21It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds of the air.
- 22Destruction and Death say, 'Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.'
- 23God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells,
- 24for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
- 25When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters,
- 26when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm,
- 27then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it.
- 28And he said to man, 'The fear of the Lord-that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.' "