Job 28:12–28

Wisdom Is Inaccessible to Decay and Death

¹²“Where can wisdom be found? 

Where does understanding live? 

¹³No mortal knows where it is.^c

It cannot be found in this world of the living. 

¹⁴The deep ocean says, ‘It isn’t in me.’ 

The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’ 

¹⁵You cannot obtain it with solid gold 

or buy it for any amount of silver. 

¹⁶It can’t be bought with the gold from Ophir 

or with precious onyx or sapphire. 

¹⁷Neither gold nor glass can equal its value. 

Nor can gold ornaments, jewels, or crystal 

¹⁸be exchanged for it. 

Wisdom is more valuable than gems. 

¹⁹Topaz 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? 

²¹It is hidden from the eyes of every living being, 

hidden even from the birds in the air. 

²²Decay and Death say, 

‘We’ve heard a rumor about it.’ 

Wisdom Is Accessible Only to the Creator

²³“God understands the way to it. 

He knows where it lives 

²⁴because he can see to the ends of the earth 

and observe everything under heaven. 

²⁵When he gave the wind its force 

and measured the water ⸤in the sea⸥, 

²⁶when he made rules for the rain 

and set paths for the thunderstorms, 

²⁷then he saw it and announced it. 

He confirmed it and examined it. 

²⁸So he told humans, 

‘The fear of the Lord is wisdom! 

To stay away from evil is understanding.’ ”