Job 28

Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found

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

Miners 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

The miners’ hands assault the flinty rock^l

and lay bare the roots of the mountains.^m

They tunnel through the rock;ⁿ

their eyes see all its treasures.^o

They search the sources of the rivers^p

and bring hidden things^q to light.

But where can wisdom be found?^r

Where does understanding dwell?^s

No mortal comprehends its worth;^t

it cannot be found in the land of the living.^u

The deep^v says, “It is not in me”;

the sea^w says, “It is not with me.”

It cannot be bought with the finest gold,

nor can its price be weighed out in silver.^x

It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,^y

with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.^z

Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,^a

nor can it be had for jewels of gold.^b

Coral^c and jasper^d are not worthy of mention;

the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.^e

The topaz^f of Cush^g cannot compare with it;

it cannot be bought with pure gold.^h

Where then does wisdom come from?

Where does understanding dwell?ⁱ

It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,

concealed even from the birds in the sky.^j

Destruction^k and Death^l say,

“Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”

God understands the way to it

and he alone^m knows where it dwells,ⁿ

for he views the ends of the earth^o

and sees everything under the heavens.^p

When he established the force of the wind

and measured out the waters,^q

when he made a decree for the rain^r

and a path for the thunderstorm,^s

then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;

he confirmed it and tested it.^t

And he said to the human race,

“The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,

and to shun evil^u is understanding.”^v