
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 28
Translation and Transliteration of
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1There is a mine for silver, And a place where gold is refined.
ki YAYSH la-KE-sef mo-TZAH, u-MA-kom la-za-HAV ya-ZO-koo
אכִּ֤י יֵ֣שׁ לַכֶּ֣סֶף מוֹצָ֑א וּ֝מָק֗וֹם לַזָּהָ֥ב יָזֹֽקּוּ׃
2Iron is taken out of the earth, And copper smelted from rock.
bar-ZEL me-a-FAR yu-KACH v'-E-ven ya-TZUK ne-KHU-sha
בבַּ֭רְזֶל מֵֽעָפָ֣ר יֻקָּ֑ח וְ֝אֶ֗בֶן יָצ֥וּק נְחוּשָֽׁה׃
3He sets bounds for darkness; To every limit man probes, To rocks in deepest darkness.
KAYTZ sam la-KHO-shekh u-le-KOL takh-LEET HU kho-KAYR e-VEN o-FEL v'-tzal-MA-vet
גקֵ֤ץ ׀ שָׂ֤ם לַחֹ֗שֶׁךְ וּֽלְכׇל־תַּ֭כְלִית ה֣וּא חוֹקֵ֑ר אֶ֖בֶן אֹ֣פֶל וְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃
4They open up a shaft far from where men live, [In places] forgotten by wayfarers, Destitute of men, far removed.
pa-RATZ na-KHAL meem-GAR ha-nish-ka-KHEEM mi-nee-RA-gel da-LU me-e-NOSH na-U
דפָּ֤רַץ נַ֨חַל ׀ מֵֽעִם־גָּ֗ר הַֽנִּשְׁכָּחִ֥ים מִנִּי־רָ֑גֶל דַּ֖לּוּ מֵאֱנ֣וֹשׁ נָֽעוּ׃
5Earth, out of which food grows, Is changed below as if into fire.
E-retz mi-ME-nah ye-TZE la-KHEM v'-ta-KHE-te-HA neh-PAKH ke-MO-esh
האֶ֗רֶץ מִמֶּ֥נָּה יֵֽצֵא־לָ֑חֶם וְ֝תַחְתֶּ֗יהָ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ כְּמוֹ־אֵֽשׁ׃
6Its rocks are a source of sapphires; It contains gold dust too.
m'-KOM sa-PEER a-va-NE-ha v'-a-f'-ROT za-HAV lo
ומְקוֹם־סַפִּ֥יר אֲבָנֶ֑יהָ וְעַפְרֹ֖ת זָהָ֣ב לֽוֹ׃
7No bird of prey knows the path to it; The falcon's eye has not gazed upon it.
na-TIV lo-ya-da-O a-YIT v'-lo she-za-PA-tu EIN a-YAH
זנָ֭תִיב לֹא־יְדָ֣עוֹ עָ֑יִט וְלֹ֥א שְׁ֝זָפַ֗תּוּ עֵ֣ין אַיָּֽה׃
8The proud beasts have not reached it; The lion has not crossed it.
lo-hid-ree-KHU-hu v'-nay sha-KHATZ lo-a-DAH a-LA-yu sha-KHAL
חלֹֽא־הִדְרִיכ֥וּהוּ בְנֵֽי־שָׁ֑חַץ לֹֽא־עָדָ֖ה עָלָ֣יו שָֽׁחַל׃
9Man sets his hand against the flinty rock And overturns mountains by the roots.
ba-cha-LA-mish sha-LAKH ya-DO ha-FAKH mi-SHO-resh ha-REEM
טבַּ֭חַלָּמִישׁ שָׁלַ֣ח יָד֑וֹ הָפַ֖ךְ מִשֹּׁ֣רֶשׁ הָרִֽים׃
10He carves out channels through rock; His eyes behold every precious thing.
ba-tzu-ROT y'-o-RIM bi-KE-a v'-kol y'-KAR ra-a-TAH ay-NO
יבַּ֭צּוּרוֹת יְאֹרִ֣ים בִּקֵּ֑עַ וְכׇל־יְ֝קָ֗ר רָאֲתָ֥ה עֵינֽוֹ׃
11He dams up the sources of the streams So that hidden things may be brought to light.
mi-B'-khi ne-HA-rot kh'-BESH v'-ta-a-LU-ma YO-tz'-i or.
יאמִ֭בְּכִי נְהָר֣וֹת חִבֵּ֑שׁ וְ֝תַעֲלֻמָ֗הּ יֹ֣צִא אֽוֹר׃
12But where can wisdom be found; Where is the source of understanding?
v'-ha-KHO-kh'-MAH me-A-yin ti-ma-TZE, v'-AY zeh m'-KOM bi-NAH
יבוְֽ֭הַחׇכְמָה מֵאַ֣יִן תִּמָּצֵ֑א וְאֵ֥י זֶ֝֗ה מְק֣וֹם בִּינָֽה׃
13No man can set a value on it; It cannot be found in the land of the living.
lo-ya-DA a-NO-sh e-RE-kah v'-lo ti-ma-TZE b'-E-rets ha-cha-YIM
יגלֹא־יָדַ֣ע אֱנ֣וֹשׁ עֶרְכָּ֑הּ וְלֹ֥א תִ֝מָּצֵ֗א בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַחַיִּֽים׃
14The deep says, “It is not in me”; The sea says, “I do not have it.”
TEHOM a-MAR lo vi-HI, v'-YAM a-MAR ein i-MADAI.
ידתְּה֣וֹם אָ֭מַר לֹ֣א בִי־הִ֑יא וְיָ֥ם אָ֝מַ֗ר אֵ֣ין עִמָּדִֽי׃
15It cannot be bartered for gold; Silver cannot be paid out as its price.
lo-yu-TAN se-GOR ta-KHE-te-HA, v'-lo yi-SHA-kel KE-sef me-KHI-ra-HA
טולֹֽא־יֻתַּ֣ן סְג֣וֹר תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ וְלֹ֥א יִ֝שָּׁקֵ֗ל כֶּ֣סֶף מְחִירָֽהּ׃
16The finest gold of Ophir cannot be weighed against it, Nor precious onyx, nor sapphire.
lo-t'-SU-leh b'-khe-TEM o-FEER b'-sho-HAM ya-KAR v'-sa-PEER
טזלֹֽא־תְ֭סֻלֶּה בְּכֶ֣תֶם אוֹפִ֑יר בְּשֹׁ֖הַם יָקָ֣ר וְסַפִּֽיר׃
17Gold or glass cannot match its value, Nor vessels of fine gold be exchanged for it.
lo ya-a-r'-KE-nah za-HAV u-ze-KHO-kheet u-te-mu-RA-tah k'-lee-FAZ
יזלֹא־יַעַרְכֶ֣נָּה זָ֭הָב וּזְכוֹכִ֑ית וּתְמ֖וּרָתָ֣הּ כְּלִי־פָֽז׃
18Coral and crystal cannot be mentioned with it; A pouch of wisdom is better than rubies.
ra-MOT v'-ga-VEESH LO yi-za-KHAYR u-ME-shekh khokh-MAH mi-p'-nee-NEEM
יחרָאמ֣וֹת וְ֭גָבִישׁ לֹ֣א יִזָּכֵ֑ר וּמֶ֥שֶׁךְ חׇ֝כְמָ֗ה מִפְּנִינִֽים׃
28:18 A pouch of wisdom is better than rubies

Rubies
In several places, the Bible uses the ruby as an example of something precious. Sefer Mishlei (31:10) describes the worth of the “woman of valor” as “far beyond that of rubies,” and in this verse the value of wisdom is described as “better than rubies.” Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the twentieth century leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement, once told former Haifa mayor Arie Gurel: “In Haifa, there is a sea. One shouldn’t become intimidated by something that is deep. This is the uniqueness of Haifa: It has a sea and there is a valley and in the valley are precious stones and gems. The Holy One, Blessed Be He, did a wondrous thing; He concealed them in the depths of the earth, and in any case, in the depth of the river.” Based on that conversation, a company called Shefa Yamim was started for the purpose of searching for precious stones near Haifa. Over the years, Shefa Yamim has discovered diamonds and other precious stones hidden in the Land of Israel, among them rubies.
19Topaz from Nubia cannot match its value; Pure gold cannot be weighed against it.
lo ya-ar-ke-Na pi-t'-dat-KUSH b'-khe-TEM ta-HOR lo t'-su-LEH
יטלֹֽא־יַ֭עַרְכֶנָּה פִּטְדַת־כּ֑וּשׁ בְּכֶ֥תֶם טָ֝ה֗וֹר לֹ֣א תְסֻלֶּֽה׃
20But whence does wisdom come? Where is the source of understanding?
v'-ha-KHO-kh'-mah me-A-yin ta-VO, v'-AY zeh m'-KOM bi-NAH
כוְֽ֭הַחׇכְמָה מֵאַ֣יִן תָּב֑וֹא וְאֵ֥י זֶ֝֗ה מְק֣וֹם בִּינָֽה׃
21It is hidden from the eyes of all living Concealed from the fowl of heaven.
v'-ne-e-l'-MAH me-EY-nay kol-KHAI u-me-oaf ha-sha-MA-yim nis-ta-RAH
כאוְֽ֭נֶעֶלְמָה מֵעֵינֵ֣י כׇל־חָ֑י וּמֵע֖וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם נִסְתָּֽרָה׃
22Abaddon and Death say, “We have only a report of it.”
a-va-DON va-MA-vet a-M'-RU b'-a-Z'-nay-NU sha-MA-nu shim-AH
כבאֲבַדּ֣וֹן וָ֭מָוֶת אָ֣מְר֑וּ בְּ֝אׇזְנֵ֗ינוּ שָׁמַ֥עְנוּ שִׁמְעָֽהּ׃
23Hashem understands the way to it; He knows its source;
E-lo-HIM he-VIN dar-KAH v'-HU ya-DA et-m'-KO-mah
כגאֱ֭לֹהִים הֵבִ֣ין דַּרְכָּ֑הּ וְ֝ה֗וּא יָדַ֥ע אֶת־מְקוֹמָֽהּ׃
24For He sees to the ends of the earth, Observes all that is beneath the heavens.
ki-HU lik-TZOT-ha-A-retz ya-BEET TA-khat kol ha-sha-MA-yim yir-EH
כדכִּי־ה֭וּא לִקְצוֹת־הָאָ֣רֶץ יַבִּ֑יט תַּ֖חַת כׇּל־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִרְאֶֽה׃
25When He fixed the weight of the winds, Set the measure of the waters;
la-a-SOT la-RO-akh mish-KAL u-MA-yim ti-KEN b'-mi-DAH
כהלַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לָר֣וּחַ מִשְׁקָ֑ל וּ֝מַ֗יִם תִּכֵּ֥ן בְּמִדָּֽה׃
26When He made a rule for the rain And a course for the thunderstorms,
ba-a-SO-to la-ma-TAR khok v'-DE-rekh la-kha-ZEEZ ko-LOT
כובַּעֲשֹׂת֣וֹ לַמָּטָ֣ר חֹ֑ק וְ֝דֶ֗רֶךְ לַחֲזִ֥יז קֹלֽוֹת׃
27Then He saw it and gauged it; He measured it and probed it.
az ra-AH va-y'-sa-pe-RAH he-KHEE-na va-GAM-cha-ka-RAH
כזאָ֣ז רָ֭אָהּ וַֽיְסַפְּרָ֑הּ הֱ֝כִינָ֗הּ וְגַם־חֲקָרָֽהּ׃
28He said to man, “See! Fear of Hashem is wisdom; To shun evil is understanding.”
vai-YO-mer la-a-DAM, HAYN yir-AT a-do-NAI, HEE khokh-MAH, v'-SUR may-RA bi-NAH.
כחוַיֹּ֤אמֶר ׀ לָאָדָ֗ם הֵ֤ן יִרְאַ֣ת אֲ֭דֹנָי הִ֣יא חׇכְמָ֑ה וְס֖וּר מֵרָ֣ע בִּינָֽה׃