Jobs 28 – New International Version (NIV)
Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found
- There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.
- Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.
- Mortals put an end to the darkness; they search out the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness.
- Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft, in places untouched by human feet; far from other people they dangle and sway.
- The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire;
- lapis lazuli comes from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold.
- No bird of prey knows that hidden path, no falcon’s eye has seen it.
- Proud beasts do not set foot on it, and no lion prowls there.
- People assault the flinty rock with their hands and lay bare the roots of the mountains.
- They tunnel through the rock; their eyes see all its treasures.
- They search[a] the sources of the rivers and bring hidden things to light.
- 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.
- Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell?
- It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds in the sky.
- Destruction[b] and Death say, “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
- God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells,
- for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
- When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters,
- when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm,
- then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it.
- And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Jobs 28 – King James Version (KJV)
- Surely there is a vein for the silver, And a place for gold where they fine it.
- Iron is taken out of the earth, And brass is molten out of the stone.
- He setteth an end to darkness, And searcheth out all perfection: The stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
- The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; Even the waters forgotten of the foot: They are dried up, they are gone away from men.
- As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: And under it is turned up as it were fire.
- The stones of it are the place of sapphires: And it hath dust of gold.
- There is a path which no fowl knoweth, And which the vulture’s eye hath not seen:
- The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, Nor the fierce lion passed by it.
- He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; He overturneth the mountains by the roots.
- He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; And his eye seeth every precious thing.
- He bindeth the floods from overflowing; And the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.
- 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.
- Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
- Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, And kept close from the fowls of the air.
- Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
- God understandeth the way thereof, And he knoweth the place thereof.
- For he looketh to the ends of the earth, And seeth under the whole heaven;
- To make the weight for the winds; And he weigheth the waters by measure.
- When he made a decree for the rain, And a way for the lightning of the thunder:
- Then did he see it, and declare it; He prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
- And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.
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