It is hid from the eyes of all living: the poetic movement between the two lines of this verse is from the general to the specific. In line a wisdom is hidden from all living, which means “all living creatures.” This includes mankind and animals.

And concealed from the birds of the air: here, as in verse 7, wisdom is hidden even from a bird whose sight is keen at great distances. The heightening of poetic effect gives the meaning “Wisdom is hidden from all living creatures; even the birds soaring in the sky cannot see it.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, Wiliam. A Handbook on Job. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .