Job 28
1 Siluer hath bigynnyngis of his veynes; and a place is to gold, in which it is wellid togidere.
Silver hath beginnings of its veins, and gold hath a place wherein it is melted.
2 Irun is takun fro erthe, and a stoon resolued, `ethir meltid, bi heete, is turned in to money.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone melted with heat is turned into brass.
3 God hath set tyme to derknessis, and he biholdith the ende of alle thingis.
He hath set a time for darkness, and the end of all things he considereth, the stone also that is in the dark and the shadow of death.
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.
The flood divideth from the people that are on their journey, those whom the food of the needy man hath forgotten, and who cannot be come at.
5 The erthe, wher of breed cam forth in his place, is destried bi fier.
The land, out of which bread grew in its place, hath been overturned with fire.
6 The place of saphir ben stoonys therof, and the clottis therof ben gold.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and the clods of it are gold.
7 A brid knewe not the weie, and the iye of a vultur, ethir rauenouse brid, bihelde it not.
The bird hath not known the path, neither hath the eye of the vulture beheld it.
8 The sones of marchauntis tretiden not on it, and a lyonesse passide not therbi.
The children of the merchants have not trodden it, neither hath the lioness passed by it.
9 God stretchide forth his hond to a flynt; he distriede hillis fro the rootis.
He hath stretched forth his hand to the flint, he hath overturned mountains from the roots.
10 He hewide doun ryuers in stoonys; and his iye siy al precious thing.
In the rocks he hath cut out rivers, and his eye hath seen every precious thing.
11 And he souyte out the depthis of floodis; and he brouyte forth hid thingis in to liyt.
The depths also of rivers he hath searched, and hidden things he hath brought forth to light.
12 But where is wisdom foundun, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?
But where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?
13 A man noot the prijs therof, nether it is foundun in the lond of men lyuynge swetli, `ether delicatli.
Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of them that live in delights.
14 The depthe of watris seith, It is not in me; and the see spekith, It is not with me.
The depth saith: It is not in me: and the sea saith: It is not with me.
15 Gold ful cleene schal not be youun for wisdom, nether siluer schal be weied in the chaungyng therof.
The finest gold shall not purchase it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
16 It schal not be comparysound to the died colours of Iynde, not to the moost preciouse stoon of sardius, nether to saphir.
It shall not be compared with the dyed colours of India, or with the most precious stone sardonyx, or the sapphire.
17 Nether gold, nether glas schal be maad euene worth therto;
Gold or crystal cannot equal it, neither shall any vessels of gold be changed for it.
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;
High and eminent things shall not be mentioned in comparison of it: but wisdom is drawn out of secret places.
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.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equal to it, neither shall it be compared to the cleanest dyeing.
20 Therfor wherof cometh wisdom, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 It is hid fro the iyen of alle lyuynge men; also it is hid fro briddis of heuene.
It is hid from the eyes of all living. and the fowls of the air know it not.
22 Perdicioun and deeth seiden, With oure eeris we herden the fame therof.
Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard the fame thereof.
23 God vndurstondith the weye therof, and he knowith the place therof.
God understandeth the way of it, and he knoweth the place thereof.
24 For he biholdith the endis of the world, and biholdith alle thingis that ben vndur heuene.
For he beholdeth the ends of the world: and looketh on all things that are under heaven.
25 `Which God made weiyte to wyndis, and weiede watris in mesure.
Who made a weight for the winds and weighed the waters by measure.
26 Whanne he settide lawe to reyn, and weie to tempestis sownynge;
When he gave a law for the rain, and a way for the sounding storms.
27 thanne he siy wisdom, and telde out, and made redi, and souyte out.
Then he saw it, and declared, and prepared, and searched it.
28 And he seide to man, Lo! the drede of the Lord, thilke is wisdom; and to go awei fro yuel, is vndurstondyng.
And he said to man: Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom: and to depart from evil, is understanding.
