Job 28
1 Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;
Habet argentum, venarum suarum principia: et auro locus est, in quo conflatur.
2 Iron from the dust is taken, And [from] the firm stone brass.
Ferrum de terra tollitur: et lapis solutus calore, in æs vertitur.
3 An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade.
Tempus posuit tenebris, et universorum finem ipse considerat, lapidem quoque caliginis, et umbram mortis.
4 A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.
Dividit torrens a populo peregrinante, eos, quos oblitus est pes egentis hominis, et invios.
5 The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire.
Terra, de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo, igni subversa est.
6 A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it hath dust of gold.
Locus sapphiri lapides eius, et glebæ illius aurum.
7 A path — not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,
Semitam ignoravit avis, nec intuitus est eam oculus vulturis.
8 Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.
Non calcaverunt eam filii institorum, nec pertransivit per eam leæna.
9 Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.
Ad silicem extendit manum suam, subvertit a radicibus montes.
10 Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.
In petris rivos excidit, et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius.
11 From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out [to] light.
Profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est, et abscondita in lucem produxit.
12 And the wisdom — whence is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
Sapientia vero ubi invenitur? et quis est locus intelligentiæ?
13 Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.
Nescit homo pretium eius, nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium.
14 The deep hath said, 'It [is] not in me,' And the sea hath said, 'It is not with me.'
Abyssus dicit: Non est in me: et mare loquitur: Non est mecum.
15 Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed — its price.
Non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea, nec appendetur argentum in commutatione eius.
16 It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,
Non conferetur tinctis Indiæ coloribus, nec lapidi sardonycho pretiosissimo, vel sapphiro.
17 Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor [is] its exchange a vessel of fine gold.
Non adæquabitur ei aurum vel vitrum, nec commutabuntur pro ea vasa auri:
18 Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom [is] above rubies.
Excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur comparatione eius: trahitur autem sapientia de occultis.
19 Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.
Non adæquabitur ei topazius de Æthiopia, nec tincturæ mundissimæ componetur.
20 And the wisdom — whence doth it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
Unde ergo sapientia venit? et quis est locus intelligentiæ?
21 It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden.
Abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium, volucres quoque cæli latet.
22 Destruction and death have said: 'With our ears we have heard its fame.'
Perditio et mors dixerunt: Auribus nostris audivimus famam eius.
23 God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.
Deus intelligit viam eius, et ipse novit locum illius.
24 For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,
Ipse enim fines mundi intuetur: et omnia, quæ sub cælo sunt, respicit.
25 To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure.
Qui fecit ventis pondus, et aquas appendit in mensura.
26 In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,
Quando ponebat pluviis legem, et viam procellis sonantibus:
27 Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out,
Tunc vidit illam, et enarravit, et præparavit, et investigavit.
28 And He saith to man: — 'Lo, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.'
Et dixit homini: Ecce timor Domini, ipsa est sapientia: et recedere a malo, intelligentia.
