Job 28
1 For there is a place for the silver, whence it comes, and a place for the gold, whence it is refined.
Siluer hath bigynnyngis of his veynes; and a place is to gold, in which it is wellid togidere.
2 For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone.
Irun is takun fro erthe, and a stoon resolued, `ethir meltid, bi heete, is turned in to money.
3 He has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone [is] darkness, and the shadow of death.
God hath set tyme to derknessis, and he biholdith the ende of alle thingis.
4 There is a cutting off the torrent by reason of dust: so they that forget the right way are weakened; they are removed from [amongst] men.
Also a stronde departith a stoon of derknesse, and the schadewe of deth, fro the puple goynge in pilgrymage; it departith tho hillis, whiche the foot of a nedi man foryat, and hillis with out weie.
5 [As for] the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire.
The erthe, wher of breed cam forth in his place, is destried bi fier.
6 Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and [her] dust [supplies] man with gold.
The place of saphir ben stoonys therof, and the clottis therof ben gold.
7 [There is] a path, the fowl has not known it, neither has the eye of the vulture seen it:
A brid knewe not the weie, and the iye of a vultur, ethir rauenouse brid, bihelde it not.
8 neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it.
The sones of marchauntis tretiden not on it, and a lyonesse passide not therbi.
9 He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp [rock], and turned up mountains by the roots:
God stretchide forth his hond to a flynt; he distriede hillis fro the rootis.
10 and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers, and mine eye has seen every precious thing.
He hewide doun ryuers in stoonys; and his iye siy al precious thing.
11 And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.
And he souyte out the depthis of floodis; and he brouyte forth hid thingis in to liyt.
12 But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?
But where is wisdom foundun, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?
13 A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered amongst men.
A man noot the prijs therof, nether it is foundun in the lond of men lyuynge swetli, `ether delicatli.
14 The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.
The depthe of watris seith, It is not in me; and the see spekith, It is not with me.
15 One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
Gold ful cleene schal not be youun for wisdom, nether siluer schal be weied in the chaungyng therof.
16 Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire.
It schal not be comparysound to the died colours of Iynde, not to the moost preciouse stoon of sardius, nether to saphir.
17 Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it, neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange.
Nether gold, nether glas schal be maad euene worth therto;
18 Coral and fine pearl shall not be mentioned: but do you esteem wisdom above the most precious things.
and hiye and fer apperynge vessels of gold schulen not be chaungid for wisdom, nether schulen be had in mynde in comparisoun therof. Forsothe wisdom is drawun of pryuy thingis;
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equalled to it; it shall not be compared with pure gold.
topasie of Ethiope schal not be maad euene worth to wisdom, and moost preciouse diyngis schulen not be set togidere in prijs, `ether comparisound, therto.
20 Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?
Therfor wherof cometh wisdom, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?
21 It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky.
It is hid fro the iyen of alle lyuynge men; also it is hid fro briddis of heuene.
22 Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it.
Perdicioun and deeth seiden, With oure eeris we herden the fame therof.
23 God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it.
God vndurstondith the weye therof, and he knowith the place therof.
24 For he surveys the whole [earth] under heaven, knowing the things in the earth:
For he biholdith the endis of the world, and biholdith alle thingis that ben vndur heuene.
25 all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.
`Which God made weiyte to wyndis, and weiede watris in mesure.
26 When he made [them], thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder.
Whanne he settide lawe to reyn, and weie to tempestis sownynge;
27 Then he saw it, and declared it: he prepared it [and] traced it out.
thanne he siy wisdom, and telde out, and made redi, and souyte out.
28 And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.
And he seide to man, Lo! the drede of the Lord, thilke is wisdom; and to go awei fro yuel, is vndurstondyng.
