Job’s Hymn to Wisdom
1
Surely there is a mine for silver
and a place where gold is refined.
2 and a place where gold is refined.
Iron is taken from the ground,
and copper is smelted from ore.
3 and copper is smelted from ore.
A miner puts an end to the darkness;
he probes(a) the deepest recesses
for ore in the gloomy darkness.
4 he probes(a) the deepest recesses
for ore in the gloomy darkness.
He cuts a shaft far from human habitation,
in places unknown to those who walk above ground.(b)
Suspended far away from people,
the miners swing back and forth.
5 in places unknown to those who walk above ground.(b)
Suspended far away from people,
the miners swing back and forth.
Food may come from the earth,
but below the surface the earth is transformed as by fire.
6
7 but below the surface the earth is transformed as by fire.
No bird of prey knows that path;
no falcon’s eye has seen it.
8 no falcon’s eye has seen it.
Proud beasts have never walked on it;
no lion has ever prowled over it.
9 no lion has ever prowled over it.
The miner strikes the flint
and transforms the mountains at their foundations.
10 and transforms the mountains at their foundations.
He cuts out channels in the rocks,
and his eyes spot every treasure.
11 and his eyes spot every treasure.
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13
14
15
Gold cannot be exchanged for it,
and silver cannot be weighed out for its price.
16
17
18 and silver cannot be weighed out for its price.
Coral and quartz are not worth mentioning.
The price of wisdom is beyond pearls.
19 The price of wisdom is beyond pearls.
Topaz from Cush cannot compare with it,
and it cannot be valued in pure gold.
and it cannot be valued in pure gold.
20
Where then does wisdom come from,
and where is understanding located?
21 and where is understanding located?
It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing
and concealed from the birds of the sky.
22
23 and concealed from the birds of the sky.
But God understands the way to wisdom,
and He knows its location.
24 and He knows its location.
For He looks to the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
25
26
27 and sees everything under the heavens.
He considered wisdom and evaluated it;
He established it and examined it.
28 He established it and examined it.
He said to mankind,
“The fear of the Lord is this: wisdom.
And to turn from evil is understanding.”(J)
“The fear of the Lord is this: wisdom.
And to turn from evil is understanding.”(J)