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Job 28
New International Version

### Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found

28 There is a mine for silver
and a place where gold is refined.(A)
2 Iron is taken from the earth,
and copper is smelted from ore.(B)
3 Mortals put an end to the darkness;(C)
they search out the farthest recesses
for ore in the blackest darkness.(D)
4 Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,(E)
in places untouched by human feet;
far from other people they dangle and sway.
5 The earth, from which food comes,(F)
is transformed below as by fire;
6 lapis lazuli(G) comes from its rocks,
and its dust contains nuggets of gold.(H)
7 No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
no falcon’s eye has seen it.(I)
8 Proud beasts(J) do not set foot on it,
and no lion prowls there.(K)
9 People assault the flinty rock(L) with their hands
and lay bare the roots of the mountains.(M)
10 They tunnel through the rock;(N)
their eyes see all its treasures.(O)
11 They search[a] the sources of the rivers(P)
and bring hidden things(Q) to light.

12 But where can wisdom be found?(R)
Where does understanding dwell?(S)
13 No mortal comprehends its worth;(T)
it cannot be found in the land of the living.(U)
14 The deep(V) says, “It is not in me”;
the sea(W) says, “It is not with me.”
15 It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
nor can its price be weighed out in silver.(X)
16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,(Y)
with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.(Z)
17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,(AA)
nor can it be had for jewels of gold.(AB)
18 Coral(AC) and jasper(AD) are not worthy of mention;
the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.(AE)
19 The topaz(AF) of Cush(AG) cannot compare with it;
it cannot be bought with pure gold.(AH)

20 Where then does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding dwell?(AI)
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
concealed even from the birds in the sky.(AJ)
22 Destruction[b](AK) and Death(AL) say,
“Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
23 God understands the way to it
and he alone(AM) knows where it dwells,(AN)
24 for he views the ends of the earth(AO)
and sees everything under the heavens.(AP)
25 When he established the force of the wind
and measured out the waters,(AQ)
26 when he made a decree for the rain(AR)
and a path for the thunderstorm,(AS)
27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
he confirmed it and tested it.(AT)
28 And he said to the human race,
“The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
and to shun evil(AU) is understanding.”(AV)

#### Footnotes

1. Job 28:11 Septuagint, Aquila and Vulgate; Hebrew They dam up
2. Job 28:22 Hebrew Abaddon

#### Cross references

1. Job 28:1 : Ps 12:6; 66:10; Jer 9:7; Da 11:35; Mal 3:3
2. Job 28:2 : Dt 8:9
3. Job 28:3 : Ecc 1:13; 7:25; 8:17
4. Job 28:3 : S Job 26:10; 38:19
5. Job 28:4 : ver 10; 2Sa 5:8
6. Job 28:5 : Ge 1:29; Ps 104:14; 145:15
7. Job 28:6 : ver 16; SS 5:14; Isa 54:11
8. Job 28:6 : S Job 22:24
9. Job 28:7 : ver 21
10. Job 28:8 : Job 41:34
11. Job 28:8 : Isa 35:9
12. Job 28:9 : S Dt 8:15
13. Job 28:9 : Jnh 2:6
14. Job 28:10 : S ver 4
15. Job 28:10 : Pr 2:4
16. Job 28:11 : S Ge 7:11
17. Job 28:11 : Isa 48:6; Jer 33:3
18. Job 28:12 : ver 28; Pr 1:20; 3:13-20; 8:1; 9:1-3; Ecc 7:24
19. Job 28:12 : ver 20, 23
20. Job 28:13 : Pr 3:15; Mt 13:44-46
21. Job 28:13 : Dt 29:29; Ps 27:13; 52:5; 116:9; 142:5; Isa 38:11; Jer 11:19; Eze 26:20; 32:24
22. Job 28:14 : Ps 42:7; Ro 10:7
23. Job 28:14 : Dt 30:13
24. Job 28:15 : ver 17; Pr 3:13-14; 8:10-11; 16:16; Ac 8:20
25. Job 28:16 : S Ge 10:29
26. Job 28:16 : S ver 6; S Ex 24:10
27. Job 28:17 : Ps 119:72; Pr 8:10
28. Job 28:17 : S ver 15
29. Job 28:18 : Eze 27:16
30. Job 28:18 : Rev 21:11
31. Job 28:18 : Pr 3:15; 8:11
32. Job 28:19 : Ex 28:17
33. Job 28:19 : Isa 11:11
34. Job 28:19 : Pr 3:14-15; 8:10-11, 19
35. Job 28:20 : S Job 9:4
36. Job 28:21 : ver 7
37. Job 28:22 : S Job 20:26; S Rev 9:11
38. Job 28:22 : Pr 8:32-36
39. Job 28:23 : Ecc 3:11; 8:17
40. Job 28:23 : S Job 9:4; S 22:22; Pr 8:22-31
41. Job 28:24 : Job 36:32; 37:3; 38:18, 24, 35; Ps 33:13-14; 66:7; Isa 11:12
42. Job 28:24 : S Jos 3:11; S Job 10:4; S Heb 4:13
43. Job 28:25 : S Job 12:15; 38:8-11
44. Job 28:26 : Job 36:28; 37:6; Jer 51:16
45. Job 28:26 : Job 36:33; 37:3, 8, 11; 38:25, 27; Ps 65:12; 104:14; 147:8; Isa 35:7
46. Job 28:27 : Pr 3:19; 8:22-31
47. Job 28:28 : Ps 11:5; 97:10; Pr 3:7; 8:13
48. Job 28:28 : S Ex 20:20; S Dt 4:6; S Job 37:24

New International Version (NIV)

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