THE BOOK OF
JOB

Job 28 ©

Job, having shown the vigor of human reason in the things of this world, v. 1, etc. declares that it is not to be compared with the transcendent wisdom of God, which is inestimable and nowhere to be found, 12. But with God, Who has and uses it, 23. Adding thereunto wherein lies the true wisdom of a man, 28.

1

SURELY 1there is a 2veina for the silver, and a place for gold where 3they fine it.

2

Iron is taken out of the 4earth, and brass is molten out of the 5stone.

3

6He setteth an 7end to 8darkness, and 9searcheth out 10all perfection: the stones of 11darkness, and the shadow of death.

4

The flood 12breaketh out from the inhabitant; even 13the waters 14forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.

5

As for the earth, out of it cometh 15bread: and under it 16is turned up as it were fire.

6

17The stones of it 18are the place of sapphires: and 19it hath 20dust of gold.

7

There is a 21path which no 22fowl knoweth, and which the 23vulture’s eye hath not seen:

8

The lion’s 24whelps have not trodden 25it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.

9

26He putteth forth his hand upon the 27rock; 28he overturneth the mountains by the roots.

10

He 29cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every 30precious thing.

11

He bindeth the 31floods from 32overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.

12

33But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

13

Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land 34of the living.

14

Theb35depth saith, It is not in me: and 36the sea saith, It is not with me.

15

Itc cannot be gotten for 37gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

16

It cannot be valued with the gold of 38Ophir, with the precious 39onyx, or the 40sapphire.

17

The gold and the 41crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for 42jewels of 43fine gold.

18

44No mention shall be made of 45coral, or of 46pearls: for the price of wisdom is above 47rubies.

19

The 48topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

20

Whenced then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

21

Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close 49from the fowls of the air.

22

50Destructione and death say, We have heard the 51fame thereof with our ears.

23

52God understandeth the 53way thereof, and he knoweth the 54place thereof.

24

For he looketh 55to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

25

56To make the weight for 57the winds; and he weigheth thef waters by measure.

26

When he made a 58decree for the rain, and 59a way for the lightning 60of the thunder:

27

Then 61did he see 62it, and 63declare it; he 64prepared it, yea, and 65searched it out.

28

And unto man he said, Behold, 66theg fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.