Job Chapter 28 (NIV)

KJV ESV NIV NASB NLT

undefined “There is a mine for silverand a place where gold is refined.

undefined Iron is taken from the earth,and copper is smelted from ore.

undefined Man puts an end to the darkness;he searches the farthest recessesfor ore in the blackest darkness.

undefined Far from where people dwell he cuts a shaft,in places forgotten by the foot of man;far from men he dangles and sways.

undefined The earth, from which food comes,is transformed below as by fire;

undefined sapphires come from its rocks,and its dust contains nuggets of gold.

undefined No bird of prey knows that hidden path,no falcon’s eye has seen it.

undefined Proud beasts do not set foot on it,and no lion prowls there.

undefined Man’s hand assaults the flinty rockand lays bare the roots of the mountains.

undefined He tunnels through the rock;his eyes see all its treasures.

undefined He searches the sources of the riversand brings hidden things to light.

undefined “But where can wisdom be found?Where does understanding dwell?

undefined Man does not comprehend its worth;it cannot be found in the land of the living.

undefined The deep says, ‘It is not in me’;the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

undefined It cannot be bought with the finest gold,nor can its price be weighed in silver.

undefined It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,with precious onyx or sapphires.

undefined Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,nor can it be had for jewels of gold.

undefined Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

undefined The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;it cannot be bought with pure gold.

undefined “Where then does wisdom come from?Where does understanding dwell?

undefined It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,concealed even from the birds of the air.

undefined Destruction and Death say,‘Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.’

undefined God understands the way to itand he alone knows where it dwells,

undefined for he views the ends of the earthand sees everything under the heavens.

undefined When he established the force of the windand measured out the waters,

undefined when he made a decree for the rainand a path for the thunderstorm,

undefined then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;he confirmed it and tested it.

undefined And he said to man,‘The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,and to shun evil is understanding.’”

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