Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found
1There is a mine for silver
and a place where gold is refined.
2Iron is taken from the earth,
and copper is smelted from ore.
3Mortals put an end to the darkness;
they search out the farthest recesses
for ore in the blackest darkness.
4Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,
in places untouched by human feet;
far from other people they dangle and sway.
5The earth, from which food comes,
is transformed below as by fire;
6lapis lazuli comes from its rocks,
and its dust contains nuggets of gold.
7No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
no falcon’s eye has seen it.
8Proud beasts do not set foot on it,
and no lion prowls there.
9People assault the flinty rock with their hands
and lay bare the roots of the mountains.
10They tunnel through the rock;
their eyes see all its treasures.
11They search28:11 Septuagint, Aquila and Vulgate; Hebrew They dam up the sources of the rivers
and bring hidden things to light.
12But where can wisdom be found?
Where does understanding dwell?
13No mortal comprehends its worth;
it cannot be found in the land of the living.
14The deep says, “It is not in me”;
the sea says, “It is not with me.”
15It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
nor can its price be weighed out in silver.
16It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,
with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
17Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,
nor can it be had for jewels of gold.
18Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;
the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
19The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;
it cannot be bought with pure gold.
20Where then does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding dwell?
21It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
concealed even from the birds in the sky.
22Destruction28:22 Hebrew Abaddon and Death say,
“Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
23God understands the way to it
and he alone knows where it dwells,
24for he views the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
25When he established the force of the wind
and measured out the waters,
26when he made a decree for the rain
and a path for the thunderstorm,
27then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
he confirmed it and tested it.
28And he said to the human race,
“The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
and to shun evil is understanding.”
1Ɛwɔ deɛ wɔtu dwetɛ
ne beaeɛ a wɔhoa sika kɔkɔɔ ho.
2Wɔtu dadeɛ firi fam,
na wɔnane kɔbere firi dadeben mu.
3Onipa ma esum ba awieeɛ;
na ɔhwehwɛ kɔ akyirikyiri asase mu
kɔpɛ dadeben wɔ esum kabii mu.
4Baabi a ɛne deɛ ɔdasani teɛ ntam ɛkwan ware no, ɔtu amena de fagudeɛtuo afidie hyɛ hɔ,
mmeammea a onipa nan sii hɔ akyɛre
baabi a ɛmmɛn nnipa no, ɛhɔ na ɔdi aforosiane.
5Asase a ɛbɔ aduane no,
wɔnane aseɛ no te sɛ deɛ wɔde ogya na ayɛ;
6aboɔdemmoɔ firi nʼabotan mu
na sikakɔkɔɔ mpɔ nso wɔ ne mfuturo mu.
7Ɔkɔdeɛ biara nnim saa kwan a ahinta no,
akorɔma biara ani nhunuiɛ.
8Mmoa ahantanfoɔ nnante wɔ hɔ
na agyata nkɔdɛɛdɛɛ wɔ hɔ.
9Onipa nsa paapae abotan denden
na ɔma mmepɔ ase da hɔ.
10Ɔtwa aka fa abotan mu,
na ɔhunu nʼademudeɛ nyinaa.
11Ɔhwehwɛ baabi a nsubɔntene ti wɔ
na ɔda nneɛma a ahinta adi.
12Nanso ɛhe na yɛbɛhunu deɛ nyansa hyɛ?
Ɛhe na nteaseɛ teɛ?
13Onipa renhunu ne bo a ɛsom;
wɔrenhunu wɔ ateasefoɔ asase so.
14Na ebunu ka sɛ, “Ɛnni me mu”;
na ɛpo nso sɛ, “Ɛnni me nkyɛn.”
15Wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ amapa ntɔ,
na wɔrentumi mfa dwetɛ nkari ne boɔ.
16Wɔrentumi mfa Ofir sikakɔkɔɔ ntɔ
apopobibirieboɔ anaa aboɔdemmoɔ nso saa ara.
17Wɔrentumi mfa ahwehwɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ntoto ho,
na wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ nnwinneɛ nsesa.
18Ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛbɔ ahwene panin ne ahwehwɛboɔ din;
nyansa boɔ sene nhwene pa.
19Etiopia akarateboɔ ne no nsɛ;
wɔrentumi mfa sikakɔkɔɔ kronn ntɔ.
20Ɛnneɛ na ɛhe na nyansa firie?
Ɛhe na nteaseɛ teɛ?
21Wɔde asie abɔdeɛ biara ani,
wɔde asie ewiem nnomaa mpo.
22Ɔsɛeɛ ne Owuo ka sɛ,
“Yɛate no huhuhuhu kɛkɛ.”
23Onyankopɔn te ɛkwan a ɛkɔ hɔ ase,
na ɔno nko ara na ɔnim baabi a ɛteɛ,
24ɛfiri sɛ ɔhwɛ kɔduru nsase ano
na ɔhunu biribiara a ɛwɔ ɔsoro ase.
25Ɛberɛ a ɔhyɛɛ mframa ano den too hɔ
na ɔsusuu nsuwa no,
26ɛberɛ a ɔkaa no ɔhyɛ so kyerɛɛ osutɔ
na ɔtwaa ɛkwan maa aprannaa no,
27afei ɔhwɛɛ nyansa na ɔkarii no hwɛeɛ;
na ɔgyee no too mu na ɔsɔɔ no hwɛeɛ.
28Na ɔka kyerɛɛ onipa sɛ,
“Awurade suro, ɛno ne nyansa;
na sɛ wɔkyiri bɔne a, wowɔ nteaseɛ.”
