智慧頌
1「銀從礦中採取，
金有冶煉之地，
2鐵從地下挖掘，
銅從石中提煉。
3世人探尋黑暗的盡頭，
搜索幽暗的深處，
要得隱藏的礦石。
4他們在杳無人煙、人蹤絕跡之地開礦，
他們遠離人群，懸在半空搖來搖去。
5大地出產糧食，
地下烈火翻騰。
6地下的石頭出藍寶石，
還蘊藏著金沙。
7礦中的路徑，猛禽不知道，
鷹眼也未曾見過，
8猛獸未曾踏足，
獅子未曾經過。
9世人開鑿堅石，
翻動山的根基，
10在巖石中鑿通道，
一覽各樣的寶藏。
11他們把水流截斷，
使隱藏之物顯露。
12「然而，智慧何處尋？
聰明之道在哪裡？
13無人知道智慧的價值，
人世間找不到她。
14深淵說，『她不在我裡面。』
海洋說，『她不在我這裡。』
15金子買不到她，
銀子換不來她；
16俄斐的金子無法與她相比，
紅瑪瑙和藍寶石不能與她媲美；
17黃金和水晶無法與她相比，
純金的器皿不能與她兌換；
18珊瑚和碧玉不能與她相提並論，
紅寶石的價值遠不如她；
19古實的黃玉無法與她相比，
純金不能與她等量齊觀。
20「然而，智慧何處尋？
聰明之道在哪裡？
21眾生的眼睛看不見她，
空中的飛鳥找不到她。
22毀滅和死亡說，
『我們只風聞其名。』
23上帝認識通往智慧的路，
祂知道智慧在哪裡，
24因祂縱覽地極，
遍察天下萬物。
25祂定下風的重量，
量出水的規模；
26祂頒佈雨露的規律，
劃定雷電的路線。
27那時祂已看見智慧，並評估她，
堅立她，探察她。
28祂對世人說，『敬畏主就是智慧，
遠離惡便是聰明。』」
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.”
