The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Job 28

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Ketuvim — the Writings

Job chapter 28 — part of the Ketuvim — the Writings in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “For there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.” — the complete text of all 28 verses is below, free to read online.

1For there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.

2Iron is taken out of the dust, and brass is molten out of the stone.

3Man setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out to the furthest bound the stones of thick darkness and of the shadow of death.

4He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; they are forgotten of the foot that passeth by; they hang afar from men, they swing to and fro.

5As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

6The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.

7That path no bird of prey knoweth, neither hath the falcon's eye seen it;

8The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor hath the lion passed thereby.

9He putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock; He overturneth the mountains by the roots.

10He cutteth out channels among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.

11He bindeth the streams that they trickle not; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.

12But wisdom, where shall it be found? And where is the place of understanding?

13Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

14The deep saith: 'It is not in me'; and the sea saith: 'It is not with me.'

15It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

16It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

17Gold and glass cannot equal it; neither shall the exchange thereof be vessels of fine gold.

18No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; yea, the price of wisdom is above rubies.

19The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

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

21Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

22Destruction and Death say: 'We have heard a rumor thereof with our ears.'

23G-d understandeth the way thereof, and He knoweth the place thereof.

24For He looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

25When He maketh a weight for the wind, and meteth out the waters by measure.

26When He made a decree for the rain, and a way for the storm of thunders;

27Then did He see it, and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it out.

28And unto man He said: 'Behold, the fear of the L-rd, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.'

28 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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