Job 28 - Living Bible (TLB)

28 “Men know how to mine silver and refine gold, 2 to dig iron from the earth and melt copper from stone. 3-4 Men know how to put light into darkness so that a mine shaft can be sunk into the earth, and the earth searched and its deep secrets explored. Into the black rock, shadowed by death, men descend on ropes, swinging back and forth.

5 “Men know how to obtain food from the surface of the earth, while underneath there is fire.

6 “They know how to find sapphires and gold dust— 7 treasures that no bird of prey can see, no eagle’s eye observe— 8 for they are deep within the mines. No wild animal has ever walked upon those treasures; no lion has set his paw there. 9 Men know how to tear apart flinty rocks and how to overturn the roots of mountains. 10 They drill tunnels in the rocks and lay bare precious stones. 11 They dam up streams of water and pan the gold.[a]

12 “But though men can do all these things, they don’t know where to find wisdom and understanding. 13 They not only don’t know how to get it, but, in fact, it is not to be found among the living.

14 “‘It’s not here,’ the oceans say; and the seas reply, ‘Nor is it here.’

15 “It cannot be bought for gold or silver, 16 nor for all the gold of Ophir or precious onyx stones or sapphires. 17 Wisdom is far more valuable than gold and glass. It cannot be bought for jewels mounted in fine gold. 18 Coral or crystal is worthless in trying to get it; its price is far above rubies. 19 Topaz from Ethiopia cannot purchase it, nor even the purest gold.

20 “Then where can we get it? Where can it be found? 21 For it is hid from the eyes of all mankind; even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it.

22 “But Destruction and Death speak of knowing something about it! 23-24 And God surely knows where it is to be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth, under all the heavens. 25 He makes the winds blow and sets the boundaries of the oceans. 26 He makes the laws of the rain and a path for the lightning. 27 He knows where wisdom is and declares it to all who will listen. He established it and examined it thoroughly. 28 And this is what he says to all mankind: ‘Look, to fear the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’”

Footnotes

  1. Job 28:11 They dam up streams of water and pan the gold, literally, “He brings forth to the light things that are hidden.”

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28 Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine; 2 Iron from the dust is taken, And [from] the firm stone brass. 3 An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade. 4 A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Tho...
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Job 28 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

28 Silver hath [the] beginning of his veins (Silver hath the beginning of its veins); and a place is to gold, in which it is welled together. 2 Iron is taken from the earth, and a stone dissolved, or melted, by heat, is turned into money (is turned into bronze). 3 God hath set (a) time to darknesses...
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Job 28 - World English Bible (WEB)

28 “Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.3 Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.4 He breaks open a shaft away fro...
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Job 28 - The Voice (VOICE)

28 Job: There is a place where silver is mined, a place where gold is refined.2 There iron is dug from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.3 Humans put an end to darkness, and search in every last corner For the ore that is in gloom and darkness.4 In the earth they cut a shaft in a place fo...
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Job 28 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Where Can Wisdom be Found?28 “Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined.2 Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.3 Man puts an end to darkness;he searches to the farthest reaches for ore in gloom and blackest darkness.4 He cuts open a shaft far from d...
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Job 28 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found28 “Surely there is a mine for silver,and a place for gold which they refine.2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from the ore.3 Men put an end to darkness, and search out to the farthest bound the ore in gloom and deep darkness.4 They open shafts i...
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Job 28 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found28 “Surely there is a mine for silver,and a place for gold which they refine.2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from the ore.3 Men put an end to darkness, and search out to the farthest bound the ore in gloom and deep darkness.4 They open shafts i...
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Job 28 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

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Job 28 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found28 ‘Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold to be refined.2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.3 Miners put[a] an end to darkness, and search out to the farthest bound the ore in gloom and deep darkness.4 They open shafts in...
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Job 28 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Job Speaks of Wisdom and Understanding28 “People know where to mine silver and how to refine gold.2 They know where to dig iron from the earth and how to smelt copper from rock.3 They know how to shine light in the darkness and explore the farthest regions of the earth as they search in the dark for...
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Job 28 - New Life Version (NLV)

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Job 28 - New King James Version (NKJV)

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Job 28 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

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Job 28 - New International Version (NIV)

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Job 28 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

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Job 28 - New English Translation (NET)

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