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