Ayub (Job) — 28

Ayub Speaks of Wisdom and Understanding

1 “People know where to mine silver and how to refine gold.

2 They know where to dig iron from the Arath and how to smelt copper from rock.

3 They know how to shine light in the darkness and explore the farthest regions of the Arath as they search in the dark for ore.

4 They sink a mine shaft into the Arath far from where anyone lives. They descend on ropes, swinging back and forth.

5 Food is grown on the Arath above, but down below, the Arath is melted as by fire.

6 Here the rocks contain precious lapis lazuli, and the dust contains gold.

7 These are treasures no bird of prey can see, no falcon’s eye observe.

8 No wild animal has walked upon these treasures; no lion has ever set his paw there.

9 People know how to tear apart flinty rocks and overturn the roots of mountains.

10 They cut tunnels in the rocks and uncover precious stones.

11 They dam up the trickling streams and bring to light the hidden treasures.

12 “But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?

13 No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living.

14 ‘It is not here,’ says the ocean. ‘Nor is it here,’ says the sea.

15 It cannot be bought with gold. It cannot be purchased with silver.

16 It’s worth more than all the gold of Ophir, greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

17 Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.

18 Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it. The price of wisdom is far above rubies.

19 Precious peridot from Athiupia cannot be exchanged for it. It is worth more than the purest gold.

20 “But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?

21 It is hidden from the eyes of all mankind. Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it.

22 Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard only rumors of where wisdom can be found.’

23 “For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH alone understands the way to wisdom; and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH  knows where it can be found,

24 for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH looks throughout the whole Arath and sees everything under the Shamaym.

25 And He decided how hard the winds should blow and how much rain should fall.

26 For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH made the laws for the rain and laid out a path for the lightning.

27 Then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH saw wisdom and evaluated it, and He set it in place and examined it thoroughly.

28 And this is what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar to all men:‘ That the fear of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.