BBE - Job - 28

28:1  Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out.

28:2  Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire.

28:3  Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark.

28:4  He makes a deep mine far away from those living in the light of day; when they go about on the earth, they have no knowledge of those who are under them, who are hanging far from men, twisting from side to side on a cord.

28:5  As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire.

28:6  Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.

28:7  No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it.

28:8  The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way.

28:9  Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots.

28:10  He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value.

28:11  He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light.

28:12  But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?

28:13  Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living.

28:14  The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.

28:15  Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it.

28:16  It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire.

28:17  Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold.

28:18  There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls.

28:19  The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold.

28:20  From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?

28:21  For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air.

28:22  Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears.

28:23  God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place;

28:24  For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven.

28:25  When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters;

28:26  When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;

28:27  Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely.

28:28  And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.