Logos Bible Study

Job 28:12–19

The NET BibleOther versions

English

Arabic

Czech

French

German

Hebrew

Hungarian

Italian

Korean

Latin

Portuguese

Russian

Simplified Chinese

Spanish

Traditional Chinese

No Price Can Buy Wisdom

28:12“But wisdom—where can it be found?

Where is the place of understanding?

28:13Mankind does not know its place;23

it cannot be found in the land of the living.

28:14The deep24 says, ‘It is not with25 me.’

And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

28:15Fine gold cannot be given in exchange for it,

nor can its price be weighed out in silver.

28:16It cannot be measured out for purchase26 with the gold of Ophir,

with precious onyx27 or sapphires.

28:17Neither gold nor crystal28 can be compared with it,

nor can a vase29 of gold match its worth.

28:18Of coral and jasper no mention will be made;

the price30 of wisdom is more than pearls.31

28:19The topaz of Cush32 cannot be compared with it;

it cannot be purchased with pure gold.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

  1. 23 The has “its way, apparently reading דַּרְכָה (darkhah) in place of עֶרְכָּהּ (’erkah, “place”). This is adopted by most modern commentators. But R. Gordis (Job, 308) shows that this change is not necessary, for עֶרֶךְ (’erekh) in the Bible means “order; row; disposition,” and here “place.” An alternate meaning would be “worth” (, ESV).
  2. 24 The תְּהוֹם (téhom) is the “deep” of Gen 1:2, the abyss or primordial sea. It was always understood to be a place of darkness and danger. As remote as it is, it asserts that wisdom is not found there (personification). So here we have the abyss and the sea, then death and destruction—but they are not the places that wisdom resides.
  3. 25 The בּ (bet) preposition is taken here to mean “with” in the light of the parallel preposition.
  4. 26 The word actually means “weighed,” that is, lifted up on the scale and weighed, in order to purchase.
  5. 27 The exact identification of these stones is uncertain. Many recent English translations, however, have “onyx” and “sapphires.”
  6. 28 The word is from זָכַךְ (zakhakh, “clear”). It describes a transparent substance, and so “glass” is an appropriate translation. In the ancient world it was precious and so expensive.
  7. 29 The has “vase”; but the versions have a plural here, suggesting jewels of gold.
  8. 30 The word מֶשֶׁךְ (meshekh) comes from a root meaning “to grasp; to seize; to hold,” and so the derived noun means “grasping; acquiring; taking possession,” and therefore, “price” (see the discussion in R. Gordis, Job, 309). Gray renders it “acquisition” (so A. Cohen, 40 [1923/24]: 175).
  9. 31 In Lam 4:7 these are described as red, and so have been identified as rubies (so ) or corals.
  10. 32 Or “Ethiopia.” In ancient times this referred to the region of the upper Nile, rather than modern Ethiopia (formerly known as Abyssinia).

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“But where shall wisdom be found?

And where is the place of understanding?

Man does not know its worth,

and it is not found in the land of the living.

The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’

and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

It cannot be bought for gold,

and silver cannot be weighed as its price.

It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,

in precious onyx or sapphire.

Gold and glass cannot equal it,

nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;

the price of wisdom is above pearls.

The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,

nor can it be valued in pure gold.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

But where can wisdom be found?

Where does understanding dwell?

No mortal comprehends its worth;

it cannot be found in the land of the living.

The deep says, “It is not in me”;

the sea says, “It is not with me.”

It cannot be bought with the finest gold,

nor can its price be weighed out in silver.

It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,

with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,

nor can it be had for jewels of gold.

Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;

the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;

it cannot be bought with pure gold.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

But where can wisdom be found,

and where is understanding located?

No one can know its value,

since it cannot be found in the land of the living.

The ocean depths say, “It’s not in me,”

while the sea declares, “I don’t have it.”

Gold cannot be exchanged for it,

and silver cannot be weighed out for its price.

Wisdom cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,

in precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

Gold and glass do not compare with it,

and articles of fine gold cannot be exchanged for it.

Coral and quartz are not worth mentioning.

The price of wisdom is beyond pearls.

Topaz from Cush cannot compare with it,

and it cannot be valued in pure gold.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

“But do people know where to find wisdom?

Where can they find understanding?

No one knows where to find it,

for it is not found among the living.

‘It is not here,’ says the ocean.

‘Nor is it here,’ says the sea.

It cannot be bought with gold.

It cannot be purchased with silver.

It’s worth more than all the gold of Ophir,

greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal.

It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.

Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it.

The price of wisdom is far above rubies.

Precious peridot from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for it.

It’s worth more than the purest gold.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“But from where will wisdom be found?

And where in the world is the place of understanding?

A human being does not know its proper value,

and it is not found in the land of the living.

The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’

and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

“Refined gold cannot be gotten in its place,

and silver cannot be weighed out as its price.

It cannot be bought for the gold of Ophir,

for precious onyx or sapphire.

Gold and glass cannot be compared with it,

and its substitution cannot be an ornament of refined gold.

Black corals and crystal will not be mentioned,

and wisdom’s price is more than red corals.

The topaz of Cush cannot be compared with it;

it cannot be bought for pure gold.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

But where shall wisdom be found?

And where is the place of understanding?

Man knoweth not the price thereof;

Neither is it found in the land of the living.

The depth saith, It is not in me:

And the sea saith, It is not with me.

It cannot be gotten for gold,

Neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir,

With the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

The gold and the crystal cannot equal it:

And the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls:

For the price of wisdom is above rubies.

The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it,

Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

Public Domain