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 rumour 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.’
1Pali mgodi wa siliva
ndiponso malo oyengerapo golide.
2Chitsulo amachikumba pansi,
ndipo mkuwa amawusungunula ku miyala yamkuwa.
3Munthu amalowa mu mdima atatenga nyale,
amafunafuna miyala mpaka ku malire a mgodiwo,
kufuna mkuwa mu mdima wandiweyani.
4Amakumba njira zapansi mu mgodimo, kutali ndi kumene kumakhala anthu,
kumalo kumene phazi la munthu silinapondeko;
iye amakhala ali lende pansipo namazungulira uku ndi uku.
5Nthaka, imene imatulutsa zakudya,
kunsi kwake kumachita ngati kwasandulizika ndi moto;
6miyala ya safiro imachokera mʼmatanthwe ake,
ndipo mʼfumbi lake mumakhala miyala yagolide.
7Palibe mbalame yodya zinzake imene imadziwa njira yobisikayi,
palibe kamtema amene anayiona.
8Zirombo zolusa sizipondamo mʼnjiramo,
ndipo mkango sudzeranso mʼmenemo.
9Munthu amaphwanya matanthwe olimba,
ndipo amagubuduza mapiri kuyambira mʼtsinde.
10Amabowola njira mʼmatanthwewo;
ndipo amaona chuma chonse cha mʼphirimo.
11Amaletsa mitsinje ya pansipo kuti isayendenso,
motero amatulutsira poyera zinthu zobisika.
12“Koma nzeru zingapezeke kuti?
Kodi kumvetsa zinthu kumakhala kuti?
13Munthu sadziwa kufunika kwake kwa nzeruzo;
nzeruyo sipezeka pa dziko lino la anthu amoyo.
14Phompho likuti, ‘Sizipezeka mwa ine muno.’
Nyanja ikuti, ‘Mwa ine munonso ayi.’
15Nzeru sungazigule ndi golide wabwino kwambiri,
mtengo wake sungawuyerekeze ndi siliva wambiri.
16Nzeru singagulidwe ndi golide wa ku Ofiri,
kapena ndi miyala ya onikisi kapena ya safiro.
17Nzeru sungayiyerekeze ndi golide kapena mwala wa galasi,
sungayigule ndi zokometsera zagolide.
18Miyala ya korali ndi krisitali siyoyeneranso ndi kuyitchula nʼkomwe;
mtengo wa nzeru ndi woposa miyala ya rubi.
19Nzeru sungayiyerekeze ndi miyala ya topazi ya ku Kusi;
nzeru singagulidwe ndi golide wabwino kwambiri.
20“Kodi tsono nzeru zimachokera kuti?
Kodi kumvetsa zinthu kumakhala kuti?
21Malo ake ndi obisika kwa zamoyo zonse,
ndi obisika ngakhale kwa mbalame zamlengalenga.
22Chiwonongeko ndi imfa zikuti,
‘Tangomva mphekesera chabe ya zimenezo!’
23Mulungu yekha ndiye amadziwa njira yake yopita kumeneko,
ndipo Iye yekha amadziwa kumene nzeru imakhala,
24pakuti Iye amayangʼana mpaka ku malekezero a dziko lapansi
ndipo amaona zonse za kunsi kwa thambo.
25Iye atapatsa mphepo mphamvu zake,
nayeza kuzama kwa nyanja,
26atakhazikitsa lamulo loti mvula izigwa
ndi kukonza njira ya chingʼaningʼani cha bingu,
27pamenepo ndi pamene anayangʼana nzeruzo naziyeza mtengo wake;
nazikhazikitsa ndi kuzisanthula bwino lomwe.
28Ndipo Iye anati kwa munthu,
‘Taonani, kuopa Ambuye, ndiye nzeru zimenezo
ndipo kuthawa zoyipa ndiye kumvetsa zinthu kumeneko.’ ”
