JOB 28
Job Continues: Where Is Wisdom?
[1] “Surely there is a mine for silver,
and a place for gold that they refine.
[2] Iron is taken out of the earth,
and copper is smelted from the ore.
[3] Man puts an end to darkness
and searches out to the farthest limit
the ore in gloom and deep darkness.
[4] He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives;
they are forgotten by travelers;
they hang in the air, far away from mankind; they swing to and fro.
[5] As for the earth, out of it comes bread,
but underneath it is turned up as by fire.
[6] Its stones are the place of sapphires,
and it has dust of gold.
[7] “That path no bird of prey knows,
and the falcon’s eye has not seen it.
[8] The proud beasts have not trodden it;
the lion has not passed over it.
[9] “Man puts his hand to the flinty rock
and overturns mountains by the roots.
[10] He cuts out channels in the rocks,
and his eye sees every precious thing.
[11] He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle,
and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
[12] “But where shall wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
[13] Man does not know its worth,
and it is not found in the land of the living.
[14] The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’
and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
[15] It cannot be bought for gold,
and silver cannot be weighed as its price.
[16] It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
in precious onyx or sapphire.
[17] Gold and glass cannot equal it,
nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
[18] No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;
the price of wisdom is above pearls.
[19] The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
nor can it be valued in pure gold.
[20] “From where, then, does wisdom come?
And where is the place of understanding?
[21] It is hidden from the eyes of all living
and concealed from the birds of the air.
[22] Abaddon and Death say,
‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’
[23] “God understands the way to it,
and he knows its place.
[24] For he looks to the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
[25] When he gave to the wind its weight
and apportioned 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, and searched it out.
[28] And he said to man,
‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
and to turn away from evil is understanding.’” (ESV)
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