Job 28 — T4T

Job states some general truths about God’s wisdom

28Verse 1“It is true that there are places where men dig to find silver,and there are places where people refine/purify gold that they have dug.^{Verse 2}People dig iron ore out of the ground,and they ◄smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it►.^{Verse 3}Men use lamps while they work far down under the groundto search for the ore inside the mines
where it is very dark.^{Verse 4}They dig ◄shafts/narrow holes very deep down into the ground► in places that are far from where people live,where travelers do not go.They work far away from other people,swinging back and forth on ropes as they descend into the mine shafts.^{Verse 5}Food grows on the surface of the ground,but down under the ground, where there is no food, the miners make fires to break apart the rocks.^{Verse 6}The stones that are dug from under the ground contain ◄sapphires/very valuable blue stones►,and the dirt contains bits of gold.^{Verse 7}Some birds have very good eyes,
but even hawks do not know where the mines are,and falcons/vultures have not seen those places.^{Verse 8}Lions or other proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
^{Verse 9}Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock;it is as though they turn the mountains upside down to get the ore.^{Verse 10}They cut tunnels through the rocks,and they find ◄precious/very valuable► things.^{Verse 11}They dam up small streams in order that water does not flow,and they bring up into the light valuable things that are hidden in the ground and in the streams.^{Verse 12}“But wisdom: Where can people find that?Where can we find out how to truly understand things?^{Verse 13}Humans do not know where to find it;no one can find it here on this earth where they are living.^{Verse 14}It is as though water that is deep inside the earth and water that is in the seas say [PRS],‘Wisdom is not here!’^{Verse 15}People cannot buy wisdomby paying for it with silver or gold.^{Verse 16}Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir landor other very valuable stones.^{Verse 17}It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass,worth more than vases made from fine gold.^{Verse 18}Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz;the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.^{Verse 19}The prices of ◄topaz/very valuable yellow stones► from Ethiopia and of pure goldare lower/less than the price of wisdom.^{Verse 20}“So, where does wisdom come from?Where can we find out how to truly understand things?^{Verse 21}No living humans can see it [MTY];and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].^{Verse 22}It is as though the places where people go after they die say [PRS],‘We have only heard rumors about where to find wisdom.’^{Verse 23}God is the only one who knows how to find wisdom;he knows where it is,^{Verse 24}because he can see things even in the most remote/distant places on the earth;he can see everything that is below the sky.^{Verse 25}When he decided how strongly the winds should blow,and how much rain would be in the clouds,^{Verse 26}and when he decided where rain should fall,and what path lightning should take from the clouds down to the ground,^{Verse 27}at that time he saw wisdom and decided that it is extremely valuable.He examined it and ◄approved it/said that it was very good►.^{Verse 28}And then he said to humans, ‘Listen! To have an awesome respect for me is what will enable you to become wise;and to truly understand everything, you must first turn away from doing what is evil.’”