Job 28

Mining for Treasure

1 “Sure, people know how to dig silver from the ground, and gold got spots where it is refined.

2 Iron’s pulled straight from dirt, and copper gets melted outta rocks.

3 Folks set boundaries for darkness, turning over every stone till they find what they want.

4 They cut tunnels far from where people live, hanging and swinging in places no foot has stepped.

5 The earth grows our bread on top, but underneath it is flipped by fire.

6 Down there you got sapphire stones and dust sprinkled with gold.

7 That path, No bird’s ever seen it; no eagle’s eyes spotted it.

8 Proud beasts have not walked it, no lion’s ever prowled it.

9 Man lays his hand on flint, overturning mountains from the roots.

10 He cuts channels through rocks; his eyes see every precious thing.

11 He dams up streams, bringing hidden things into the light.”

But Wisdom Is Not Found Like That

12 “But where can wisdom be found, Where is the place to scoop up understanding,

13 Man do not know its value, it is not sitting in the land of the living.

14 The deep says, ‘It is not with me’; the sea says, ‘It is not with me either.’

15 You cannot buy it with gold, silver will not pay the price.

16 It is not weighed against gold from Ophir, precious onyx, or sapphire.

17 Gold and glass do not compare; pure jewels cannot balance it.

18 Coral and crystal is not worth mentioning; wisdom’s more valuable than rubies.

19 Topaz from Cush cannot match it; pure gold cannot weigh up against it.”

God Alone Knows Where Wisdom Is

20 “So where is wisdom come from, Where is understanding’s crib at,

21 It is hidden from every living thing, concealed from the birds in the sky.

22 Destruction and Death say, ‘We heard a rumor about it with our ears.’

23 But God, He is the One who knows its way, He knows where it lives.

24 He looks to the ends of the earth, sees everything under the heavens.

25 When He gave the wind its weight and set the waters by measure,

26 When He made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt,

27 Then He saw wisdom, declared it, prepared it, and searched it out.

28 And He said to mankind, ‘The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. Turning away from evil, that is understanding.’”