Job 28

1 Siluer hath bigynnyngis of his veynes; and a place is to gold, in which it is wellid togidere.

2 Irun is takun fro erthe, and a stoon resolued, `ethir meltid, bi heete, is turned in to money.

3 God hath set tyme to derknessis, and he biholdith the ende of alle thingis.

4 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 The erthe, wher of breed cam forth in his place, is destried bi fier.

6 The place of saphir ben stoonys therof, and the clottis therof ben gold.

7 A brid knewe not the weie, and the iye of a vultur, ethir rauenouse brid, bihelde it not.

8 The sones of marchauntis tretiden not on it, and a lyonesse passide not therbi.

9 God stretchide forth his hond to a flynt; he distriede hillis fro the rootis.

10 He hewide doun ryuers in stoonys; and his iye siy al precious thing.

11 And he souyte out the depthis of floodis; and he brouyte forth hid thingis in to liyt.

12 But where is wisdom foundun, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?

13 A man noot the prijs therof, nether it is foundun in the lond of men lyuynge swetli, `ether delicatli.

14 The depthe of watris seith, It is not in me; and the see spekith, It is not with me.

15 Gold ful cleene schal not be youun for wisdom, nether siluer schal be weied in the chaungyng therof.

16 It schal not be comparysound to the died colours of Iynde, not to the moost preciouse stoon of sardius, nether to saphir.

17 Nether gold, nether glas schal be maad euene worth therto;

18 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 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 Therfor wherof cometh wisdom, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?

21 It is hid fro the iyen of alle lyuynge men; also it is hid fro briddis of heuene.

22 Perdicioun and deeth seiden, With oure eeris we herden the fame therof.

23 God vndurstondith the weye therof, and he knowith the place therof.

24 For he biholdith the endis of the world, and biholdith alle thingis that ben vndur heuene.

25 `Which God made weiyte to wyndis, and weiede watris in mesure.

26 Whanne he settide lawe to reyn, and weie to tempestis sownynge;

27 thanne he siy wisdom, and telde out, and made redi, and souyte out.

28 And he seide to man, Lo! the drede of the Lord, thilke is wisdom; and to go awei fro yuel, is vndurstondyng.