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Job Continues: Wisdom Is Inaccessible to Humans

28 “There is a place where silver is mined
    and a place where gold is refined.
        Iron is taken from the ground,
            and rocks are melted for their copper.
Humans bring an end to darkness there
    and search to the limit of the gloomy, pitch-black rock.
They open up a mineshaft far from civilization,
    where no one has set foot.
    In this shaft men dangle and swing back and forth.

“Above the ground food grows,
    but beneath it the food decays as if it were burned by fire.
That place’s stones are sapphire.[a]
    Its dust contains gold.
        No bird of prey knows the way to it.
        No hawk’s eye has ever seen it.
        No proud beast has ever walked on it.
        No ferocious lion has ever passed over it.

“Humans exert their power on the flinty rocks
    and overturn mountains at their base.
10 They cut out mineshafts in the rocks.
    Their eyes see every precious thing.
11 They explore[b] the sources of rivers
    so that they bring hidden treasures to light.

Wisdom Is Inaccessible to Decay and Death

12 “Where can wisdom be found?
    Where does understanding live?
13 No mortal knows where it is.[c]
    It cannot be found in this world of the living.
14 The deep ocean says, ‘It isn’t in me.’
    The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’
15 You cannot obtain it with solid gold
    or buy it for any amount of silver.
16 It can’t be bought with the gold from Ophir
    or with precious onyx or sapphire.
17 Neither gold nor glass can equal its value.
    Nor can gold ornaments, jewels, or crystal[d]
18 be exchanged for it.
    Wisdom is more valuable than gems.
19 Topaz from Ethiopia cannot equal its value.
    It cannot be bought for any amount of pure gold.

20 “Where does wisdom come from?
    Where does understanding live?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living being,
    hidden even from the birds in the air.
22 Decay and Death say,
    ‘We’ve heard a rumor about it.’

Wisdom Is Accessible Only to the Creator

23 Elohim understands the way to it.
    He knows where it lives
24 because he can see to the ends of the earth
    and observe everything under heaven.
25 When he gave the wind its force
    and measured the water in the sea,
26 when he made rules for the rain
    and set paths for the thunderstorms,
27 then he saw it and announced it.
    He confirmed it and examined it.
28 So he told humans,
    ‘The fear of Adonay is wisdom!
    To stay away from evil is understanding.’”

Footnotes

  1. Job 28:6 Hebrew meaning uncertain.
  2. Job 28:11 Or “dam up.”
  3. Job 28:13 Or “how valuable it is.”
  4. Job 28:17 Hebrew meaning uncertain.

Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found

28 There is a mine for silver
    and a place where gold is refined.(A)
Iron is taken from the earth,
    and copper is smelted from ore.(B)
Mortals put an end to the darkness;(C)
    they search out the farthest recesses
    for ore in the blackest darkness.(D)
Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,(E)
    in places untouched by human feet;
    far from other people they dangle and sway.
The earth, from which food comes,(F)
    is transformed below as by fire;
lapis lazuli(G) comes from its rocks,
    and its dust contains nuggets of gold.(H)
No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
    no falcon’s eye has seen it.(I)
Proud beasts(J) do not set foot on it,
    and no lion prowls there.(K)
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