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