Job 28
Man's Quest for
Wisdom |
1 |
Surely there is a vein for the
silver,
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and a place for gold where they fine it. |
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2 |
Iron is taken out of the earth,
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and brass is molten out of the
stone. |
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3 |
He setteth an end to darkness,
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and searcheth out all perfection: |
the stones of darkness, and the shadow of
death. |
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4 |
The flood breaketh out from the
inhabitant;
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even the waters forgotten of the foot: |
they are dried up, they are gone away from
men. |
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5 |
As for the earth, out of it cometh
bread:
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and under it is turned up as it were
fire. |
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6 |
The stones of it are the place of
sapphires:
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and it hath dust of gold.
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7 |
There is a path which no fowl
knoweth,
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and which the vulture's eye hath not
seen: |
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8 |
the lion's whelps have not trodden
it,
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nor the fierce lion passed by
it. |
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9 |
He putteth forth his hand upon the
rock;
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he overturneth the mountains by the
roots. |
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10 |
He cutteth out rivers among the
rocks;
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and his eye seeth every precious
thing. |
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11 |
He bindeth the floods from
overflowing;
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and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth
to light.
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12 |
But where shall wisdom be found?
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And where is the place of
understanding? |
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13 |
Man knoweth not the price thereof;
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neither is it found in the land of the
living. |
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14 |
The depth saith, It is not in
me:
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and the sea saith, It is not with
me. |
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15 |
It cannot be gotten for gold,
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neither shall silver be weighed for the price
thereof. |
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16 |
It cannot be valued with the gold of
Ophir,
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with the precious onyx, or the
sapphire. |
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17 |
The gold and the crystal cannot equal
it:
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and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine
gold. |
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18 |
No mention shall be made of coral, or of
pearls:
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for the price of wisdom is above
rubies. |
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19 |
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal
it,
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neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
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20 |
Whence then cometh wisdom?
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And where is the place of
understanding? |
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21 |
seeing it is hid from the eyes of all
living,
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and kept close from the fowls of the
air. |
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22 |
Destruction and death say,
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We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
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23 |
God understandeth the way thereof,
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and he knoweth the place
thereof. |
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24 |
For he looketh to the ends of the
earth,
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and seeth under the whole
heaven; |
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25 |
to make the weight for the winds;
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and he weigheth the waters by
measure. |
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26 |
When he made a decree for the rain,
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and a way for the lightning of the
thunder; |
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27 |
then did he see it, and declare it;
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he prepared it, yea, and searched it
out. |
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28 |
And unto man he said,
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Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; Ps.
111.10 · Prov.
1.7 ; 9.10 |
and to depart from evil is understanding. |
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