Job 28
1 Siluer hath bigynnyngis of his veynes; and a place is to gold, in which it is wellid togidere.
For truly there is a source for the silver, and a place for the gold which men refine.
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 dust, and the stone is melted into copper.
3 God hath set tyme to derknessis, and he biholdith the ende of alle thingis.
An end doth he set to darkness, and the very utmost limit doth he search out, the stones of darkness, and of 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.
He breaketh a channel far from the inhabited place; those of unsteady foot, the poorest of men move [there about].
5 The erthe, wher of breed cam forth in his place, is destried bi fier.
The earth, out of which cometh forth bread, is under its surface turned up as it were with fire.
6 The place of saphir ben stoonys therof, and the clottis therof ben gold.
Her stones are the place whence the sapphire cometh; and golden dust is also there;
7 A brid knewe not the weie, and the iye of a vultur, ethir rauenouse brid, bihelde it not.
[On the] path which no bird of prey knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not surveyed;
8 The sones of marchauntis tretiden not on it, and a lyonesse passide not therbi.
[Which] ravenous beasts have never trodden, over which the lion hath never passed.
9 God stretchide forth his hond to a flynt; he distriede hillis fro the rootis.
To the flinty rock he stretcheth forth his hand; he overturneth the mountains from the root.
10 He hewide doun ryuers in stoonys; and his iye siy al precious thing.
Amid rocks he heweth out canals: and every precious thing doth his eye behold.
11 And he souyte out the depthis of floodis; and he brouyte forth hid thingis in to liyt.
The various droppings of water he uniteth into streams, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
12 But where is wisdom foundun, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?
But wisdom—where shall she he 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 her value: and she is not to be found in the land of the living.
14 The depthe of watris seith, It is not in me; and the see spekith, It is not with me.
The deep saith, Not in me is she: and the sea saith, She is not with me.
15 Gold ful cleene schal not be youun for wisdom, nether siluer schal be weied in the chaungyng therof.
No fine gold can be given in lieu of her, and silver cannot be weighed out as her price.
16 It schal not be comparysound to the died colours of Iynde, not to the moost preciouse stoon of sardius, nether to saphir.
She cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 Nether gold, nether glas schal be maad euene worth therto;
She cannot be estimated after gold and glass; and not in exchange for her [can] vessels of refined gold [be taken.]
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;
Coral and crystal will not be thought of; and the value of wisdom is above pearls.
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.
She cannot be estimated after the topaz of Ethiopia, nor can she be valued with pure gold.
20 Therfor wherof cometh wisdom, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?
But wisdom—whence cometh she? 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.
Yea, she is hidden from the eyes of all living, and from the fowls of the heavens is she concealed.
22 Perdicioun and deeth seiden, With oure eeris we herden the fame therof.
Perdition and death say, With our ears have we heard a report of her.
23 God vndurstondith the weye therof, and he knowith the place therof.
God [alone] understandeth her way, and he knoweth her place;
24 For he biholdith the endis of the world, and biholdith alle thingis that ben vndur heuene.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, [whatever is] under the whole heaven doth he see.
25 `Which God made weiyte to wyndis, and weiede watris in mesure.
When he imparted weight unto the wind; and [when] the waters he established by measure;
26 Whanne he settide lawe to reyn, and weie to tempestis sownynge;
When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the lightning of [his] thunders;
27 thanne he siy wisdom, and telde out, and made redi, and souyte out.
Then did he see her, and make her known; he established her, and also searched her out.
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 unto man, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to eschew evil is understanding.
