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28 Surely there is a mine for the kesef, and a makom for zahav where they refine it.

Barzel (iron) is taken out of aphar, and nechoshet is smelted out of the even (stone, ore).

He setteth a ketz to choshech, and searcheth out all extremities, the even (ore) of darkness and tzalmavet.

He cuts out a shaft down far from the inhabitant; forgotten of the regel, they dangle, suspended, away from enosh.

As for eretz, out of it cometh lechem, and under it is transformed as by eish.

The stones of it are the makom of the sapphire, and it hath ore of zahav.

There is a hidden path of which no bird of prey has da’as, and which the falcon’s eye hath not seen.

The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the shachal (lion’s cub) passed over it.

He [the miner] putteth forth his yad upon the rock; he upturneth the mountains by the shoresh.

10 He cutteth out channels through the tzurot (rocks), and his eye seeth every precious thing.

11 He dams up the streams from flowing, and the thing that is hidden bringeth he forth to ohr.

12 But where shall chochmah be found? And where is the makom binah?

13 Enosh knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the Eretz HaChayyim.

14 The tehom (abyss) saith, It is not in me; and the yam saith, It is not with me.

15 It cannot be gotten in exchange for fine gold, neither shall kesef be weighed for the price thereof.

16 It cannot be valued with the fine gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

17 The zahav and the crystal cannot equal it, and the exchange of it shall not be for the jewel of gold.

18 Nor shall mention be made of coral or crystal, for the price of chochmah is above pearls.

19 The chrysolite of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with tahor gold.

20 From where then cometh chochmah? And where is the makom binah?

21 Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of kol chai, and concealed from the oph HaShomayim.

22 Abaddon and Mavet say, We have heard a rumor thereof with our ears.

23 Elohim understandeth the way to it, and He knoweth the makom thereof.

24 For He looketh to the ketzot ha’aretz, and seeth all under Shomayim.

25 The weight He appointed for the ruach, and He weigheth the mayim by measure.

26 When He made a decree for the matar, and a derech for the lightning of the thunder,

27 Az (then) did He see it, and declare it; He prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

28 And unto adam He said, See, the Yirat Adonoi, that is chochmah, and to depart from rah is binah.

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