Job 28

1 “Surely [without a doubt, certainly] there is a mine [source, vein] for silver [money, wealth] and a place [location, region] where gold [something yellow, brilliant] is refined [purified, made clean] [through a process of removing impurities]. word study 2 Iron [a strong metal] is taken [extracted, dug out] from the earth [dust, dry ground], and copper [bronze, a metal made from melting copper ore] is smelted [melted, poured out] from ore [stone, a rock or mineral deposit]. word study 3 Man [he, a human being] puts [sets, appoints] an end [limit, conclusion] to the darkness [physical and spiritual, misery]; he [a person, humanity] probes [searches, examines] the farthest recesses [deepest, most remote areas] for ore [stones of value, precious minerals] in deepest [thickest, darkest] darkness [shadow of death, gloom]. word study 4 Far from human [mortal, earthly] habitation he cuts [breaks through, digs] a shaft [mine, tunnel] in places [areas, regions] forgotten [overlooked, neglected] by the foot [step, path] of man [mankind, humanity]. Far from men [people, individuals] he dangles [hangs, swings] and sways [moves, oscillates]. word study 5 Food [bread, grain, or sustenance] may come from the earth [land, ground, or territory], but from [out of, or beneath] below it is transformed [overturned, changed, or refined] as by [like, or similar to] fire [burning, flame]. word study 6 Its rocks [containing lapis lazuli, place of sapphires] are the source of sapphires [very valuable blue stones], containing [having dust of] flecks of gold [a valuable metal, yellow and brilliant]. word study 7 No [ravenous] bird of prey [such as a hawk or vulture] knows [is aware of, has discovered] that path [or road, way]; no [not a single] falcon’s [or kite’s, swift and powerful] eye [or source of sight] has seen [looked at, perceived] it [the path, the way]. word study 8 Proud [majestic, fierce] beasts [sons of pride, wild animals] have never [at no time] trodden [walked, stepped] it; no [not one] lion has ever [nor at any time] prowled [passed by, walked] over [upon, above] it. word study 9 The miner [puts out his hand, attacks] strikes the flint [hard rock, like flinty rock]; he overturns [turns upside down, from the roots] mountains [hills] at their [the] base [root, foundation]. word study 10 He hews out [cuts through, breaks open] channels [rivers, streams, watercourses] in the rocks [boulders, stones], and his eyes spot every [all, everything] treasure [precious thing, valuable item, wealth]. word study 11 He stops up [binds, dams] the sources [floods, streams] of the streams [rivers, flowing waters] to bring [to cause to come out, to uncover] what is hidden [secret, concealed] to light [enlightenment, understanding, spiritual illumination]. word study 12 But where [in what place, from what source] can wisdom [skill, prudence, or good judgment] be found [discovered, attained], and where [in what location, by what means] does understanding [discernment, knowledge, or insight] dwell [reside, abide, or have its place]? word study 13 No [human, mankind] man can know [ascertain, learn] its value [valuation, worth], nor [not, indicating absence] is it found [discovered, attained] in the land [earth, territory] of the living [those who are alive, having life]. word study 14 The ocean depths [the deep waters, abyss] say, ‘It [wisdom, truth] is not in me [within my realm],’ while the sea [the vast waters] declares, ‘It [wisdom, truth] is not with me [in my possession, accompanying me].’ word study 15 It [cannot be obtained] cannot be bought with gold [or silver, precious metals], nor can its price [value, worth] be weighed out [measured, evaluated] in silver [money, payment]. word study 16 It cannot [in no way, not at all] be valued [measured, weighed] in the gold [pure, refined] of Ophir [a region in southern Arabia, known for its wealth], in precious [highly valued, costly] onyx [a gemstone, possibly green or blue] or [as an alternative, in addition to] sapphire [a precious stone, highly prized]. word study 17 Neither [nor can be compared to] gold [a valuable metal] nor crystal [glass, transparent and clear] can compare to it, nor jewels of fine [pure, refined] gold be exchanged [traded, bartered] for it [this precious thing, of great value]. word study 18 Coral [or pearl, a precious stone] and quartz [crystal, a clear ice-like stone] are unworthy of mention; the price [value, worth] of wisdom [skill, prudence, or good judgment] is beyond [above, more than] rubies [jewels, precious stones]. word study 19 Topaz [a precious gemstone, like the ones on the breastplate] from Cush [Ethiopia, the region south of Egypt] cannot compare [be equal or similar] to it, nor can it be valued [weighed or measured] in pure [clean, untainted] gold [a highly valued metal, like the ornaments in the Temple]. word study 20 From where [whence, from what source] then does wisdom [skill, prudence, or good judgment] come, and where [in what place, from what location] does understanding [discernment, knowledge, or insight] dwell [reside, have its place]? word study 21 It is hidden [concealed from view, unseen] from the eyes [the source of perception] of every living thing [all that is alive, having physical or spiritual life] and concealed [kept secret, hidden from knowledge] from the birds [flying creatures, creatures of the air] of the air [the sky, the heavens, the atmosphere]. word study 22 Abaddon [Destruction, a place of ruin] and Death [the end of life, mortal termination] say [speak, declare], ‘We have heard [listened to, given attention to] a rumor [report, announcement] about it [the matter, the thing].’ word study 23 But God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] understands [to discern, have insight into] its way [path, journey, or manner of action], and He knows [to ascertain by seeing, to perceive] its place [location, resting-place, or condition]. word study 24 For [because, since] He [the Almighty, God] looks [gazes, beholds] to the ends [the farthest reaches, the uttermost parts] of the earth [the land, the world] and sees [perceives, observes] everything [all things, the whole] under [beneath, below] the heavens [the sky, the heavenly realm]. word study 25 When God [the supreme Creator, Almighty] fixed [to make, establish, ordain] the weight [measure, heaviness] of the wind [a blast of air] and measured [to balance, weigh] out the waters [liquid, source of refreshment], word study 26 when He set [made a decree, gave a law] a limit [statute, boundary] for the rain [water that falls from the sky] and a path [way, road] for the thunderbolt [lightning, a flash of lightning], word study 27 then [at that time, in the past] He looked [saw, observed, considered] at wisdom [extreme value, divine insight] and appraised [evaluated, examined, declared] it; He established [prepared, set up, appointed] it and searched [examined closely, investigated, explored] it out [completely, thoroughly, carefully]. word study 28 And He said to man [the human, Adam], ‘Behold [look, see], the fear [reverence, respect] of the Lord [Adonay, God], that is wisdom [skill, prudence, good judgment], and to turn away [depart, remove] from evil [bad, morally wrong] is understanding [discernment, knowledge].’” word study