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.”
Mapumziko: Imani Inakopatikana
128:1 Za 12:6; 66:10; Yer 9:7; Mal 3:3; Dan 11:35“Kuna machimbo ya fedha,
na mahali dhahabu isafishwapo.
228:2 Kum 8:9Chuma hupatikana ardhini,
nayo shaba huyeyushwa kutoka mawe ya madini.
328:3 Mhu 7:25; 8:17; Mit 2:4Mwanadamu hukomesha giza;
huyatafuta hadi sehemu iliyo mbali,
kwa ajili ya kuchimbua mawe yenye madini
katika giza jeusi sana.
428:4 2Sam 5:8Huchimba shimo jembamba mbali na makao ya watu,
mahali paliposahaulika na nyayo za wanadamu;
mbali na wanadamu huningʼinia na kupembea kwa kamba.
528:5 Mwa 1:29; Za 145:15Ardhi, ambako chakula hutoka,
chini hugeuzwa kwa moto;
628:6 Isa 54:11; Wim 5:14; Ay 22:24yakuti samawi hutoka katika miamba yake,
nalo vumbi lake lina vipande vya dhahabu.
728:7 Ay 28:21Hakuna ndege awindaye aijuaye njia ile iliyofichika,
wala hakuna jicho la mwewe lililoiona.
828:8 Ay 41:34; Isa 35:9Wanyama wa porini wanaotamba hawajawahi kupakanyaga,
wala simba azungukaye huko.
928:9 Kum 8:15; Yn 2:6Mikono ya mwanadamu hushambulia miamba migumu sana,
na kuiacha wazi mizizi ya milima.
1028:10 Mit 2:4; Ay 28:4Hutoboa shimo refu la kupenya chini kwa chini kwenye miamba;
macho yake huona hazina zake zote.
1128:11 Mwa 7:11; Isa 48:6; Yer 33:3Hutafuta vyanzo vya mito
na kuvileta vitu vilivyofichika katika nuru.
1228:12 Mit 1:20; Mhu 7:24“Lakini hekima inaweza kupatikana wapi?
Ufahamu unakaa wapi?
1328:13 Mit 3:15; Mt 13:44-46Mwanadamu hatambui thamani yake;
haiwezi kupatikana katika nchi ya walio hai.
14Kilindi husema, ‘Haiko ndani yangu’;
bahari nayo husema, ‘Haiko pamoja nami.’
1528:15 Mit 16:16; Mdo 8:20Haiwezi kununuliwa kwa dhahabu safi kuliko zote,
wala thamani yake haiwezi kupimwa kwa fedha.
16Haiwezi kununuliwa kwa dhahabu ya Ofiri,
kwa shohamu ya thamani kubwa au yakuti samawi ya thamani kubwa.
1728:17 Za 119:72; Mit 8:10; Ay 28:15Dhahabu wala mawe maangavu haviwezi kulinganishwa nayo,
wala haiwezi hubadilishwa na vito vya dhahabu.
18Marijani na yaspi hazistahili kutajwa;
thamani ya hekima ni zaidi ya akiki nyekundu.
1928:19 Mit 3:14-15; 8:10-19Yakuti manjano ipatikanayo Kushi haiwezi kulinganishwa nayo,
wala haiwezi kununuliwa kwa dhahabu safi.
20“Ni wapi basi hekima itokako?
Ufahamu hukaa wapi?
2128:21 Ay 28:7Imefichika machoni pa kila kitu kilicho hai,
imesitiriwa hata kwa ndege wa angani.
2228:22 Ay 26:6Uharibifu na Mauti husema,
‘Ni uvumi wake tu uliotufikia masikioni mwetu.’
2328:23 Mdo 15:18; Ay 22:22; Mit 8:22-31Mungu anaifahamu njia ya kuiendea hekima
na ndiye peke yake anayefahamu inakokaa,
2428:24 Isa 11:12; Yos 3:11; Ebr 4:13; Za 66:7kwa maana yeye huitazama miisho ya dunia
na huona kila kitu chini ya mbingu.
2528:25 Ay 38:8-11; Za 135:7Alipofanyiza nguvu za upepo
na kuyapima maji,
2628:26 Ay 38:25-27; Isa 35:7; Yer 14:22alipofanya maagizo kwa ajili ya mvua
na njia kwa ajili ya umeme wa radi,
27ndipo alipoitazama hekima na kuikadiria thamani yake,
akaithibitisha na kuihakikisha.
2828:28 Kut 20:20; Kum 4:6Naye Mungu akamwambia mwanadamu,
‘Kumcha Bwana: hiyo ndiyo hekima,
nako kujitenga na uovu ndio ufahamu.’ ”
