20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding,

21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all the living, and is hid from the [a]fowls of the heaven?

22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

23 But God understandeth the [b]way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

24 For he beholdeth the ends of the world, and seeth all that is under heaven,

25 To make the weight of the winds and to weigh the waters by measure.

26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunders,

27 Then did he see it, and counted it: he prepared it, and also considered it.

28 And unto man he said, Behold, (A)the [c]fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 28:21 Meaning, that there is no natural means whereby man might attain to the heavenly wisdom: which he meaneth by the souls that fly high.
  2. Job 28:23 He maketh God only the author of this wisdom, and the giver thereof.
  3. Job 28:28 He declareth that man hath so much of this heavenly wisdom, as he showeth by fearing God, and departing from evil.

20 Where then does wisdom come from?
    Where does understanding dwell?(A)
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
    concealed even from the birds in the sky.(B)
22 Destruction[a](C) and Death(D) say,
    “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
23 God understands the way to it
    and he alone(E) knows where it dwells,(F)
24 for he views the ends of the earth(G)
    and sees everything under the heavens.(H)
25 When he established the force of the wind
    and measured out the waters,(I)
26 when he made a decree for the rain(J)
    and a path for the thunderstorm,(K)
27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
    he confirmed it and tested it.(L)
28 And he said to the human race,
    “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
    and to shun evil(M) is understanding.”(N)

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Footnotes

  1. Job 28:22 Hebrew Abaddon