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The Book of Job

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- Chapter 28 -

Job's discourse on wisdom

1
“It is true that there are places where men dig to find silver, and there are places where people refine gold that they have dug.
2
People dig iron ore out of the ground, and they also smelt copper.
3
Men use lamps while they work far down under the ground to search for the ore inside the mines where it is very dark.
4
They dig shafts in places that are far from where people live, where travelers do not go. They work far away from other people, swinging back and forth on ropes as they descend into the mine shafts.
5
Food grows on the surface of the ground, but down under the ground, where there is no food, the miners make fires to break apart the rocks.
6
The stones that are dug from under the ground contain sapphires, and the dirt contains bits of gold.
7
Some birds have very good eyes, but even hawks do not know where the mines are, and falcons have not seen those places.
8
Lions or other proud wild animals have never gone to those places.
9
Miners dig very hard rock; it is as though they turned the mountains upside down to get the ore.
10
They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find precious things.
11
They dam up small streams to stop the water from flowing, and they bring up into the light things that are hidden in the ground and in the streams.
12
But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
13
Humans do not know what wisdom is truly worth; no one can find it here on this earth where they are living.
14
It is as though the water that is under the earth and water that is in the seas said, ‘I do not have it!’
15
People cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
16
Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from the land of Ophir, much more than very valuable stones.
17
It is worth much more than gold or beautiful quartz; wisdom is more expensive than the finest jewels, and it is worth more than a vase made with pure gold.
18
Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal quartz; the price of wisdom is higher than the price of rubies.
19
The prices of topaz from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower than the value of wisdom.
20
So from where does wisdom come? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
21
No living humans can see it; and birds cannot see it while they are up in the sky.
22
It is as though the places where people go after they die said, ‘We have only heard rumors about where to find wisdom.’
23
God is the only one who knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is
24
because he can see things even in the most remote places on the earth; he can see everything that is below the sky.
25
He decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain should be in the clouds.
26
He decided where rain should fall, and what path lightning should take from the clouds down to the ground.
27
At that time he saw wisdom and decided that it is very valuable. He examined it and approved it.
28
And then he said to human beings, ’Listen! If you have much respect for me, you will be able to become wise; to truly understand everything, you must first turn away from doing what is evil.’”
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Job's discourse on wisdom

1
“Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.
2
Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.
3
Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.
4
He breaks open a shaft away from where people live. They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.
5
As for the earth, out of it comes bread. Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
6
Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.
7
That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon’s eye seen it.
8
The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.
9
He puts his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.
10
He cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.
11
He binds the streams that they don’t trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
12
“But where will wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
13
Man doesn’t know its price, and it isn’t found in the land of the living.
14
The deep says, ‘It isn’t in me.’ The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’
15
It can’t be gotten for gold, neither will silver be weighed for its price.
16
It can’t be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.(a)
17
Gold and glass can’t equal it, neither will it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18
No mention will be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19
The topaz of Ethiopia will not equal it. It won’t be valued with pure gold.
20
Where then does wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding?
21
Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky.
22
Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’
23
“God understands its way, and he knows its place.
24
For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.
25
He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures out the waters by measure.
26
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
27
then he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.
28
To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord,(b) that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”

Footnotes

(a)28:16 or, lapis lazuli
(b)28:28 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
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