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Job 28-29
Common English Bible
Job 28-29
Common English Bible
Expertise in mining
28 There is a sure source of silver,
a place where gold is refined.
2 Iron is taken from the earth;
rock is smelted into copper.
3 Humans[a] put an end to darkness,
dig for ore to the farthest depths,
into stone in utter darkness,
4 open a shaft away from any inhabitant,
places forgotten by those on foot,
apart from any human they hang and sway.
5 Earth—from it comes food—
is turned over below ground as by fire.[b]
6 Its rocks are the source for lapis lazuli;
there is gold dust in it.
7 A path—
no bird of prey knows it;
a hawk’s eye hasn’t seen it;
8 proud beasts haven’t trodden on it;
a lion hasn’t crossed over it.
9 Humans thrust their hands into flint,
pull up mountains from their roots,
10 cut channels into rocks;
their eyes see everything precious.
11 They dam up the sources of rivers;
hidden things come to light.
Wisdom’s value
12 But wisdom, where can it be found;
where is the place of understanding?
13 Humankind doesn’t know its value;
it isn’t found in the land of the living.
14 The Deep[c] says, “It’s not with me”;
the Sea[d] says, “Not alongside me!”
15 It can’t be bought with gold;
its price can’t be measured in silver,
16 can’t be weighed against gold from Ophir,
with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
17 Neither gold nor glass can compare with it;
she can’t be acquired with gold jewelry.
18 Coral and jasper shouldn’t be mentioned;
the price of wisdom is more than rubies.
19 Cushite topaz won’t compare with her;
she can’t be set alongside pure gold.
20 But wisdom, where does she come from?
Where is the place of understanding?
21 She’s hidden from the eyes of all the living,
concealed from birds of the sky.
22 Destruction[e] and Death have said,
“We’ve heard a report of her.”
23 God understands her way;
he knows her place;
24 for he looks to the ends of the earth
and surveys everything beneath the heavens.
25 In order to weigh the wind,
to prepare a measure for waters,
26 when he made a decree for the rain,
a path for thunderbolts,
27 then he observed it, spoke of it,
established it, searched it out,
28 and said to humankind: “Look,
the fear of the Lord is wisdom;
turning from evil is understanding.”
Job’s previous blessing
29 Job took up his subject again:
2 Oh, that life was like it used to be,
like days when God watched over me;
3 when his lamp shone on my head,
I walked by his light in the dark;
4 when I was in my prime;
when God’s counsel was in my tent;
5 when the Almighty was with me,
my children around me;
6 when my steps were washed with cream
and a rock poured out pools of oil for me.
Previous honor
7 When I went out to the city gate,
took my seat in the square,
8 the young saw me and drew back;
the old rose and stood;
9 princes restrained speech,
put their hand on their mouth;
10 the voices of officials were hushed,
their tongue stuck to their palate.
Job’s implementation of justice
11 Indeed, the ear that heard blessed me;
the eye that looked commended me,
12 because I rescued the weak who cried out,
the orphans who lacked help.
13 The blessing of the perishing reached me;
I made the widow’s heart sing;
14 I put on justice, and it clothed me,
righteousness as my coat and turban;
15 I was eyes to the blind,
feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy;
the case I didn’t know, I examined.
17 I shattered the fangs of the wicked,
rescued prey from their teeth.
Job’s expected blessing
18 I thought, I’ll die in my nest,
multiply days like sand,[f]
19 my roots opening to water,
dew lingering on my branches,
20 my honor newly with me,
my bow ever successful in my hand.
Previous honor
21 People listened to me and waited,
were silent for my advice.
22 After my speech, they didn’t respond.
My words fell gently on them;
23 they waited for me as for rain,
opened their mouth as for spring rain.
24 I smiled[g] on them; they couldn’t believe it.
They never showed me disfavor.
25 I decided their path, sat as chief.
I lived like a king with his troops,
like one who comforts mourners.
Job 28-29
New International Version
Job 28-29
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)
Job’s Final Defense
29 Job continued his discourse:(AW)
2 “How I long for the months gone by,(AX)
for the days when God watched over me,(AY)
3 when his lamp shone on my head
and by his light I walked through darkness!(AZ)
4 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
when God’s intimate friendship(BA) blessed my house,(BB)
5 when the Almighty was still with me
and my children(BC) were around me,(BD)
6 when my path was drenched with cream(BE)
and the rock(BF) poured out for me streams of olive oil.(BG)
7 “When I went to the gate(BH) of the city
and took my seat in the public square,
8 the young men saw me and stepped aside(BI)
and the old men rose to their feet;(BJ)
9 the chief men refrained from speaking(BK)
and covered their mouths with their hands;(BL)
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,(BM)
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.(BN)
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
and those who saw me commended me,(BO)
12 because I rescued the poor(BP) who cried for help,
and the fatherless(BQ) who had none to assist them.(BR)
13 The one who was dying blessed me;(BS)
I made the widow’s(BT) heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness(BU) as my clothing;
justice was my robe and my turban.(BV)
15 I was eyes(BW) to the blind
and feet to the lame.(BX)
16 I was a father to the needy;(BY)
I took up the case(BZ) of the stranger.(CA)
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
and snatched the victims(CB) from their teeth.(CC)
18 “I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,
my days as numerous as the grains of sand.(CD)
19 My roots will reach to the water,(CE)
and the dew will lie all night on my branches.(CF)
20 My glory will not fade;(CG)
the bow(CH) will be ever new in my hand.’(CI)
21 “People listened to me expectantly,
waiting in silence for my counsel.(CJ)
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more;(CK)
my words fell gently on their ears.(CL)
23 They waited for me as for showers
and drank in my words as the spring rain.(CM)
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
the light of my face(CN) was precious to them.[c](CO)
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;(CP)
I dwelt as a king(CQ) among his troops;
I was like one who comforts mourners.(CR)
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.