Job 28
1 There are silver mines and places where gold is refined.
Habet argentum, venarum suarum principia: et auro locus est, in quo conflatur.
2 Iron is extracted from the earth and copper is smelted from its ore.
Ferrum de terra tollitur: et lapis solutus calore, in æs vertitur.
3 Miners take lamps into the darkness underground and search for ore as far as they can go in the shadows and the gloom.
Tempus posuit tenebris, et universorum finem ipse considerat, lapidem quoque caliginis, et umbram mortis.
4 They dig a mineshaft far from where people live or anyone ever goes. They swing from ropes that hang in the pits.
Dividit torrens a populo peregrinante, eos, quos oblitus est pes egentis hominis, et invios.
5 Bread comes from the earth, but underneath it looks as if it has been turned upside-down by fire.
Terra, de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo, igni subversa est.
6 Here the rocks contain lapis lazuli and the dust contains gold.
Locus sapphiri lapides eius, et glebæ illius aurum.
7 No birds of prey can see these paths, no falcon's eye can perceive.
Semitam ignoravit avis, nec intuitus est eam oculus vulturis.
8 No wild beasts have passed that way; the lion has not walked there.
Non calcaverunt eam filii institorum, nec pertransivit per eam leæna.
9 Miners attack the hard rock; they overturn the roots of mountains.
Ad silicem extendit manum suam, subvertit a radicibus montes.
10 They tunnel through the rock, looking carefully for every precious stone.
In petris rivos excidit, et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius.
11 They dam the sources of the rivers, and bring to light what is hidden.
Profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est, et abscondita in lucem produxit.
12 But where can wisdom be found? Where is the place to gain understanding?
Sapientia vero ubi invenitur? et quis est locus intelligentiæ?
13 Human beings do not know the way to wisdom; it is not found among the living.
Nescit homo pretium eius, nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium.
14 The deep waters say, ‘It's not here,’ and the sea says, ‘It's not here either.’
Abyssus dicit: Non est in me: et mare loquitur: Non est mecum.
15 It cannot be bought with gold; nor can it be purchased with silver.
Non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea, nec appendetur argentum in commutatione eius.
16 Its value cannot be measured, even with the gold of Ophir; it is more precious than onyx or lapis lazuli.
Non conferetur tinctis Indiæ coloribus, nec lapidi sardonycho pretiosissimo, vel sapphiro.
17 Gold or fine glass cannot compare with wisdom; it cannot be exchanged for gold jewelry.
Non adæquabitur ei aurum vel vitrum, nec commutabuntur pro ea vasa auri:
18 Coral and crystal are not worth mentioning; the price of wisdom is far above rubies.
Excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur comparatione eius: trahitur autem sapientia de occultis.
19 Topaz from Ethiopia can't compare with it; it cannot be bought with the purest gold.
Non adæquabitur ei topazius de Æthiopia, nec tincturæ mundissimæ componetur.
20 So where does wisdom come from? Where is the place to gain understanding?
Unde ergo sapientia venit? et quis est locus intelligentiæ?
21 Wisdom is hidden from the sight of all living things, even the birds of the air cannot see it.
Abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium, volucres quoque cæli latet.
22 Abaddon and Death say, ‘We've only heard a rumor of it.’
Perditio et mors dixerunt: Auribus nostris audivimus famam eius.
23 Only God understands the path to wisdom; he knows where it is found.
Deus intelligit viam eius, et ipse novit locum illius.
24 For he looks to the very end of the earth; he sees everything under heaven.
Ipse enim fines mundi intuetur: et omnia, quæ sub cælo sunt, respicit.
25 He decided how strong the wind should blow, and regulated the waters.
Qui fecit ventis pondus, et aquas appendit in mensura.
26 He set a limit for the rain and made a path for the lightning.
Quando ponebat pluviis legem, et viam procellis sonantibus:
27 Then he considered wisdom. He examined it, gave it his approval, and declared it good.
Tunc vidit illam, et enarravit, et præparavit, et investigavit.
28 He said to humankind, ‘To reverence the Lord is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
Et dixit homini: Ecce timor Domini, ipsa est sapientia: et recedere a malo, intelligentia.
