Study

a Bible passage

Click a verse to see commentary

Select a resource above

28. Job Continues Discourse

¹ There is a mine for silver
   and a place where gold is refined.
² Iron is taken from the earth,
   and copper is smelted from ore.
³ Mortals put an end to the darkness;
   they search out the farthest recesses
   for ore in the blackest darkness.
⁴ Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,
   in places untouched by human feet;
   far from other people they dangle and sway.
⁵ The earth, from which food comes,
   is transformed below as by fire;
⁶ lapis lazuli comes from its rocks,
   and its dust contains nuggets of gold.
⁷ No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
   no falcon’s eye has seen it.
⁸ Proud beasts do not set foot on it,
   and no lion prowls there.
⁹ People assault the flinty rock with their hands
   and lay bare the roots of the mountains.
¹⁰ They tunnel through the rock;
   their eyes see all its treasures.
¹¹ They search Septuagint, Aquila and Vulgate; Hebrew They dam up the sources of the rivers
   and bring hidden things to light.

    ¹² But where can wisdom be found?
   Where does understanding dwell?
¹³ No mortal comprehends its worth;
   it cannot be found in the land of the living.
¹⁴ The deep says, “It is not in me”;
   the sea says, “It is not with me.”
¹⁵ It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
   nor can its price be weighed out in silver.
¹⁶ It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,
   with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
¹⁷ Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,
   nor can it be had for jewels of gold.
¹⁸ Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;
   the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
¹⁹ The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;
   it cannot be bought with pure gold.

    ²⁰ Where then does wisdom come from?
   Where does understanding dwell?
²¹ It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
   concealed even from the birds in the sky.
²² Destruction Hebrew Abaddon and Death say,
   “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
²³ God understands the way to it
   and he alone knows where it dwells,
²⁴ for he views the ends of the earth
   and sees everything under the heavens.
²⁵ When he established the force of the wind
   and measured out the waters,
²⁶ when he made a decree for the rain
   and a path for the thunderstorm,
²⁷ then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
   he confirmed it and tested it.
²⁸ And he said to the human race,
   “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
   and to shun evil is understanding.”