Job 28
1 For there is a place for the silver, whence it cometh,
and a place for the gold, whence it is refined.
2 For iron cometh out of the earth,
and brass is hewn out like stone.
3 He hath set [1]a bound to darkness,
and he searcheth out every limit:
a stone is darkness, and the shadow of death.
4 There is a cutting off of the torrent by reason of [2]dust:
so they that forget the right way are weakened; they are removed from among men.
5 As for the earth, out of it shall come bread:
under it hath been turned up as it were fire.
6 Her stones are the place of the sapphire:
and her dust supplieth man with gold.
7 There is a path, the fowl hath not known it,
neither hath the eye of the vulture seen it:
8 neither have the sons of the proud trodden it,
a lion hath not passed upon it.
9 He hath stretched forth his hand on the sharp rock,
and turned up mountains by the roots:
10 and he hath [3]interrupted the whirlpools of rivers,
and [4]his eye hath seen every precious thing.
11 And he hath laid bare the depths of rivers,
and hath brought his power to light.
12 But whence hath wisdom been discovered?
and what is the place of knowledge?
13 A mortal hath not known its way,
neither indeed hath it been discovered among men.
14 The depth said, It is not in me:
and the sea said, It is not with me.
15 One shall not give fine gold instead of it,
neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
16 Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir,
with the precious onyx and sapphire.
17 Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it,
neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange.
18 Coral and fine pearl shall not be mentioned:
but do thou esteem wisdom above the most precious things.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equalled to it;
it shall not be compared with pure gold.
20 Whence then is wisdom found?
and of what kind is the place of understanding?
21 It hath escaped the notice of every man,
and hath been hidden from the birds of the sky.
22 Destruction and Death said,
We have heard the report of it.
23 God hath well ordered the way of it,
and he knoweth the place of it.
24 For he surveyeth the whole earth under heaven,
knowing the things in the earth: 25 all that he hath made;
the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.
26 When he made them, thus he saw and numbered them,
and made a way for the pealing of the [5]thunder.
27 Then he saw it, and declared it:
he prepared it and traced it out.
28 And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom;
and to abstain from evil is understanding.