Chapter 28
Where Can Wisdom Be Found?
1
[“]Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.
𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤔 𐤌𐤅𐤑𐤀 𐤋𐤊𐤎𐤐 𐤅𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤋𐤆𐤄𐤁 𐤉𐤆𐤒𐤅
כִּ֤י יֵ֣שׁ מוֹצָ֑א לַכֶּ֣סֶף וּ֝מָק֗וֹם לַזָּהָ֥ב יָזֹֽקּוּ׃ kî yêš mō·w·ṣā lak·ke·sep̄ ū·mā·qō·wm laz·zā·hāḇ yā·zōq·qū — WLC · 1
2
Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.
𐤁𐤓𐤆𐤋 𐤉𐤒𐤇 𐤌𐤏𐤐𐤓 𐤍𐤇𐤅𐤔𐤄 𐤉𐤑𐤅𐤒 𐤅𐤀𐤁𐤍
בַּ֭רְזֶל יֻקָּ֑ח מֵעָפָ֣ר נְחוּשָֽׁה׃ יָצ֥וּק וְ֝אֶ֗בֶן bar·zel yuq·qāḥ mê·‘ā·p̄ār nə·ḥū·šāh yā·ṣūq wə·’e·ḇen — WLC · 2
3
[Man] puts an end to the darkness; he probes the farthest recesses… for ore in deepest darkness…
𐤔𐤌 𐤒𐤑 𐤋𐤇𐤔𐤊 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤇𐤅𐤒𐤓 𐤅𐤋𐤊𐤋 𐤕𐤊𐤋𐤉𐤕 𐤀𐤁𐤍 𐤀𐤐𐤋 𐤅𐤑𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤕
שָׂ֤ם קֵ֤ץ׀ לַחֹ֗שֶׁךְ ה֣וּא חוֹקֵ֑ר וּֽלְכָל־ תַּ֭כְלִית אֶ֖בֶן אֹ֣פֶל וְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃ śām qêṣ la·ḥō·šeḵ hū ḥō·w·qêr ū·lə·ḵāl- taḵ·lîṯ ’e·ḇen ’ō·p̄el wə·ṣal·mā·weṯ — WLC · 3
4
Far from… human habitation he cuts a shaft in places forgotten by the foot of man. Far from men he dangles and sways.
𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤌𐤏𐤌 𐤂𐤓 𐤐𐤓𐤑 𐤍𐤇𐤋 𐤄𐤍𐤔𐤊𐤇𐤉𐤌 𐤓𐤂𐤋 𐤌𐤀𐤍𐤅𐤔 𐤃𐤋𐤅 𐤍𐤏𐤅
מִנִּי־ מֵֽעִם־ גָּ֗ר פָּ֤רַץ נַ֨חַל׀ הַֽנִּשְׁכָּחִ֥ים רָ֑גֶל מֵאֱנ֣וֹשׁ דַּ֖לּוּ נָֽעוּ׃ min·nî- mê·‘im- gār pā·raṣ na·ḥal han·niš·kā·ḥîm rā·ḡel mê·’ĕ·nō·wōš dal·lū nā·‘ū — WLC · 4
5
Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire.
𐤋𐤇𐤌 𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤅𐤕𐤇𐤕𐤉𐤄 𐤍𐤄𐤐𐤊 𐤊𐤌𐤅 𐤀𐤔
לָ֑חֶם יֵֽצֵא־ מִמֶּ֥נָּה אֶ֗רֶץ וְ֝תַחְתֶּ֗יהָ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ כְּמוֹ־ אֵֽשׁ׃ lā·ḥem yê·ṣê- mim·men·nāh ’e·reṣ wə·ṯaḥ·te·hā neh·paḵ kə·mōw- ’êš — WLC · 5
6
Its rocks are the source of sapphires, containing flecks of gold
𐤀𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤄 𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤎𐤐𐤉𐤓 𐤅𐤏𐤐𐤓𐤕 𐤆𐤄𐤁 𐤋𐤅
אֲבָנֶ֑יהָ מְקוֹם־ סַפִּ֥יר וְעַפְרֹ֖ת זָהָ֣ב לֽוֹ׃ ’ă·ḇā·ne·hā mə·qō·wm- sap·pîr wə·‘ap̄·rōṯ zā·hāḇ lōw — WLC · 6
7
No bird of prey knows that path; no falcon’s eye has seen it.
𐤋𐤀 𐤏𐤉𐤈 𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤅 𐤍𐤕𐤉𐤁 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤉𐤄 𐤏𐤉𐤍 𐤔𐤆𐤐𐤕𐤅
לֹֽא־ עָ֑יִט יְדָ֣עוֹ נָ֭תִיב וְלֹ֥א אַיָּֽה׃ עֵ֣ין שְׁ֝זָפַ֗תּוּ lō- ‘ā·yiṭ yə·ḏā·‘ōw nā·ṯîḇ wə·lō ’ay·yāh ‘ên šə·zā·p̲at·tû — WLC · 7
8
Proud beasts… have never trodden it; no lion has ever prowled over it.
𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤔𐤇𐤑 𐤋𐤀 𐤄𐤃𐤓𐤉𐤊𐤄𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤔𐤇𐤋 𐤏𐤃𐤄 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅
בְנֵי־ שָׁ֑חַץ לֹֽא־ הִדְרִיכֻ֥הוּ לֹֽא־ שָֽׁחַל׃ עָדָ֖ה עָלָ֣יו ḇə·nê- šā·ḥaṣ lō- hiḏ·rî·ḵu·hū lō- šā·ḥal ‘ā·ḏāh ‘ā·lāw — WLC · 8
9
The miner strikes… the flint; he overturns mountains at their base.
𐤔𐤋𐤇 𐤉𐤃𐤅 𐤁𐤇𐤋𐤌𐤉𐤔 𐤄𐤐𐤊 𐤄𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤔𐤓𐤔
שָׁלַ֣ח יָד֑וֹ בַּֽ֭חַלָּמִישׁ הָפַ֖ךְ הָרִֽים׃ מִשֹּׁ֣רֶשׁ šā·laḥ yā·ḏōw ba·ḥal·lā·mîš hā·p̄aḵ hā·rîm miš·šō·reš — WLC · 9
10
He hews out channels in the rocks, and his eyes spot every treasure.
𐤁𐤒𐤏 𐤉𐤀𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤑𐤅𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤓𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤉𐤒𐤓
בִּקֵּ֑עַ יְאֹרִ֣ים בַּ֭צּוּרוֹת עֵינֽוֹ׃ רָאֲתָ֥ה וְכָל־ יְ֝קָ֗ר biq·qê·a‘ yə·’ō·rîm baṣ·ṣū·rō·wṯ ‘ê·nōw rā·’ă·ṯāh wə·ḵāl yə·qār — WLC · 10
11
He stops up the sources of the streams to bring what is hidden to light.
𐤇𐤁𐤔 𐤌𐤁𐤊𐤉 𐤍𐤄𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤅𐤕𐤏𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤅𐤓𐤐
חִבֵּ֑שׁ מִ֭בְּכִי נְהָר֣וֹת יֹ֣צִא וְ֝תַעֲלֻמָ֗הּ אֽוֹר׃פ ḥib·bêš mib·bə·ḵî nə·hā·rō·wṯ yō·ṣi wə·ṯa·ʿă·lu·må̄h ’ō·wr — WLC · 11
12
But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding… dwell?
𐤌𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤅𐤄𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤌𐤑𐤀 𐤅𐤀𐤉 𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤄 𐤆𐤄 𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌
מֵאַ֣יִן וְֽ֭הַחָכְמָה תִּמָּצֵ֑א וְאֵ֥י בִּינָֽה׃ זֶ֝ה מְק֣וֹם mê·’a·yin wə·ha·ḥā·ḵə·māh tim·mā·ṣê wə·’ê bî·nāh zeh mə·qō·wm — WLC · 12
13
No man can know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living.
𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤍𐤅𐤔 𐤉𐤃𐤏 𐤏𐤓𐤊𐤄 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤌𐤑𐤀 𐤁𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤄𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌
לֹא־ אֱנ֣וֹשׁ יָדַ֣ע עֶרְכָּ֑הּ וְלֹ֥א תִ֝מָּצֵ֗א בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַֽחַיִּֽים׃ lō- ’ĕ·nō·wōš yā·ḏa‘ ‘er·kāh wə·lō ṯim·mā·ṣê bə·’e·reṣ ha·ḥay·yîm — WLC · 13
14
The ocean depths say, ‘It [is] not in me,’ while the sea declares, ‘[It is] not with me.’
𐤕𐤄𐤅𐤌 𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤋𐤀 𐤁𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤏𐤌𐤃𐤉
תְּה֣וֹם אָ֭מַר הִ֑יא לֹ֣א בִי־ וְיָ֥ם אָ֝מַ֗ר אֵ֣ין עִמָּדִֽי׃ tə·hō·wm ’ā·mar hî lō ḇî- wə·yām ’ā·mar ’ên ‘im·mā·ḏî — WLC · 14
15
It cannot be bought with gold, nor [can] its price be weighed out in silver.
𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤕𐤇𐤕𐤉𐤄 𐤎𐤂𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤌𐤇𐤉𐤓𐤄 𐤉𐤔𐤒𐤋 𐤊𐤎𐤐
לֹא־ יֻתַּ֣ן תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ סְג֣וֹר וְלֹ֥א מְחִירָֽהּ׃ יִ֝שָּׁקֵ֗ל כֶּ֣סֶף lō- yut·tan taḥ·te·hā sə·ḡō·wr wə·lō mə·ḥî·rāh yiš·šā·qêl ke·sep̄ — WLC · 15
16
It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.
𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤎𐤋𐤄 𐤁𐤊𐤕𐤌 𐤀𐤅𐤐𐤉𐤓 𐤉𐤒𐤓 𐤁𐤔𐤄𐤌 𐤅𐤎𐤐𐤉𐤓
לֹֽא־ תְ֭סֻלֶּה בְּכֶ֣תֶם אוֹפִ֑יר יָקָ֣ר בְּשֹׁ֖הַם וְסַפִּֽיר׃ lō- ṯə·sul·leh bə·ḵe·ṯem ’ō·w·p̄îr yā·qār bə·šō·ham wə·sap·pîr — WLC · 16
17
Neither gold nor crystal can compare to it, nor jewels of fine gold be exchanged for it.
𐤋𐤀 𐤆𐤄𐤁 𐤅𐤆𐤊𐤅𐤊𐤉𐤕 𐤉𐤏𐤓𐤊𐤍𐤄 𐤊𐤋𐤉 𐤐𐤆 𐤅𐤕𐤌𐤅𐤓𐤕𐤄
לֹא־ זָ֭הָב וּזְכוֹכִ֑ית יַעַרְכֶ֣נָּה כְּלִי־ פָֽז׃ וּתְמ֖וּרָתָ֣הּ lō- zā·hāḇ ū·zə·ḵō·w·ḵîṯ ya·‘ar·ḵen·nāh kə·lî- p̄āz ū·ṯə·mū·rā·ṯāh — WLC · 17
18
Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention; the price of wisdom [is] beyond rubies.
𐤓𐤀𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤂𐤁𐤉𐤔 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤆𐤊𐤓 𐤅𐤌𐤔𐤊 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤌𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤌
רָאמ֣וֹת וְ֭גָבִישׁ לֹ֣א יִזָּכֵ֑ר וּמֶ֥שֶׁךְ חָ֝כְמָ֗ה מִפְּנִינִֽים׃ rā·mō·wṯ wə·ḡā·ḇîš lō yiz·zā·ḵêr ū·me·šeḵ ḥāḵ·māh mip·pə·nî·nîm — WLC · 18
19
Topaz from Cush cannot compare to it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.
𐤐𐤈𐤃𐤕 𐤊𐤅𐤔 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤏𐤓𐤊𐤍𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤎𐤋𐤄𐤐 𐤈𐤄𐤅𐤓 𐤁𐤊𐤕𐤌
פִּטְדַת־ כּ֑וּשׁ לֹֽא־ יַ֭עַרְכֶנָּה לֹ֣א תְסֻלֶּֽה׃פ טָ֝ה֗וֹר בְּכֶ֥תֶם piṭ·ḏaṯ- kūš lō- ya·‘ar·ḵen·nāh lō ṯə·sul·leh ṭā·hō·wr bə·ḵe·ṯem — WLC · 19
20
From where, then, does wisdom come, and where… does understanding dwell?
𐤌𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤅𐤄𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤅𐤀𐤉 𐤆𐤄 𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤄 𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌
מֵאַ֣יִן וְֽ֭הַחָכְמָה תָּב֑וֹא וְאֵ֥י זֶ֝֗ה בִּינָֽה׃ מְק֣וֹם mê·’a·yin wə·ha·ḥā·ḵə·māh tā·ḇō·w wə·’ê zeh bî·nāh mə·qō·wm — WLC · 20
21
It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the air.
𐤅𐤍𐤏𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤌𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉 𐤊𐤋 𐤇𐤉 𐤍𐤎𐤕𐤓𐤄 𐤅𐤌𐤏𐤅𐤐 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌
וְֽ֭נֶעֶלְמָה מֵעֵינֵ֣י כָל־ חָ֑י נִסְתָּֽרָה׃ וּמֵע֖וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם wə·ne·‘el·māh mê·‘ê·nê ḵāl ḥāy nis·tā·rāh ū·mê·‘ō·wp̄ haš·šā·ma·yim — WLC · 21
22
Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor about it -.’
𐤀𐤁𐤃𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤅 𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤍𐤅 𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤄 𐤁𐤀𐤆𐤍𐤉𐤍𐤅
אֲבַדּ֣וֹן וָ֭מָוֶת אָ֣מְר֑וּ שָׁמַ֥עְנוּ שִׁמְעָֽהּ׃ בְּ֝אָזְנֵ֗ינוּ ’ă·ḇad·dō·wn wā·mā·weṯ ’ā·mə·rū šā·ma‘·nū šim·‘āh bə·’ā·zə·nê·nū — WLC · 22
23
But God understands its way, and He knows its place.
𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤍 𐤃𐤓𐤊𐤄 𐤅𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤉𐤃𐤏 𐤀𐤕 𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌𐤄
אֱ֭לֹהִים הֵבִ֣ין דַּרְכָּ֑הּ וְ֝ה֗וּא יָדַ֥ע אֶת־ מְקוֹמָֽהּ׃ ’ĕ·lō·hîm hê·ḇîn dar·kāh wə·hū yā·ḏa‘ ’eṯ- mə·qō·w·māh — WLC · 23
24
For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤉𐤁𐤉𐤈 𐤋𐤒𐤑𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤊𐤋 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌
כִּי־ ה֭וּא יַבִּ֑יט לִקְצוֹת־ הָאָ֣רֶץ יִרְאֶֽה׃ כָּל־ תַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם kî- hū yab·bîṭ liq·ṣō·wṯ- hā·’ā·reṣ yir·’eh kāl- ta·ḥaṯ haš·šā·ma·yim — WLC · 24
25
When God fixed the weight of the wind vvv and measured out the waters,
𐤋𐤏𐤔𐤅𐤕 𐤌𐤔𐤒𐤋 𐤋𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤕𐤊𐤍 𐤁𐤌𐤃𐤄 𐤅𐤌𐤉𐤌
לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת מִשְׁקָ֑ל לָר֣וּחַ תִּכֵּ֥ן בְּמִדָּֽה׃ וּ֝מַ֗יִם la·‘ă·śō·wṯ miš·qāl lā·rū·aḥ tik·kên bə·mid·dāh ū·ma·yim — WLC · 25
26
when He set a limit for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt…,
𐤁𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤅 𐤇𐤒 𐤋𐤌𐤈𐤓 𐤅𐤃𐤓𐤊 𐤋𐤇𐤆𐤉𐤆 𐤒𐤋𐤅𐤕
בַּעֲשֹׂת֣וֹ חֹ֑ק לַמָּטָ֣ר וְ֝דֶ֗רֶךְ לַחֲזִ֥יז קֹלֽוֹת׃ ba·ʿă·śō·ṯō ḥōq lam·mā·ṭār wə·ḏe·reḵ la·ḥă·zîz qō·lō·wṯ — WLC · 26
27
then He looked at [wisdom] and appraised it; He established it… and searched it out.
𐤀𐤆 𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤎𐤐𐤓𐤄 𐤄𐤊𐤉𐤍𐤄 𐤅𐤂𐤌 𐤇𐤒𐤓𐤄
אָ֣ז רָ֭אָהּ וַֽיְסַפְּרָ֑הּ הֱ֝כִינָ֗הּ וְגַם־ חֲקָרָֽהּ׃ ’āz rā·’āh way·sap·pə·rāh hĕ·ḵî·nāh wə·ḡam- ḥă·qā·rāh — WLC · 27
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And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, and to turn away from evil [is] understanding.’”
𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤄𐤍 𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤕 𐤀𐤃𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤎𐤅𐤓 𐤌𐤓𐤏 𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤄𐤎
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר׀ לָֽאָדָ֗ם הֵ֤ן יִרְאַ֣ת אֲ֭דֹנָי הִ֣יא חָכְמָ֑ה וְס֖וּר מֵרָ֣ע בִּינָֽה׃ס way·yō·mer lā·’ā·ḏām hên yir·’aṯ ’ă·ḏō·nāy hî ḥāḵ·māh wə·sūr mê·rā‘ bî·nāh — WLC · 28