Job 28
1 Habet argentum, venarum suarum principia: et auro locus est, in quo conflatur.
Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
2 Ferrum de terra tollitur: et lapis solutus calore, in aes vertitur.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
3 Tempus posuit tenebris, et universorum finem ipse considerat, lapidem quoque caliginis, et umbram mortis.
He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
4 Dividit torrens a populo peregrinante, eos, quos oblitus est pes egentis hominis, et invios.
The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
5 Terra, de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo, igni subversa est.
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
6 Locus sapphiri lapides eius, et glebae illius aurum.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.
7 Semitam ignoravit avis, nec intuitus est eam oculus vulturis.
There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen:
8 Non calcaverunt eam filii institorum, nec pertransivit per eam leaena.
The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
9 Ad silicem extendit manum suam, subvertit a radicibus montes.
He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
10 In petris rivos excidit, et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius.
He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 Profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est, et abscondita in lucem produxit.
He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.
12 Sapientia vero ubi invenitur? et quis est locus intelligentiae?
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Nescit homo pretium eius, nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium.
Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 Abyssus dicit: Non est in me: et mare loquitur: Non est mecum.
The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 Non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea, nec appendetur argentum in commutatione eius.
It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
16 Non conferetur tinctis Indiae coloribus, nec lapidi sardonycho pretiosissimo, vel sapphiro.
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 Non adaequabitur ei aurum vel vitrum, nec commutabuntur pro ea vasa auri:
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
18 Excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur comparatione eius: trahitur autem sapientia de occultis.
No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 Non adaequabitur ei topazius de Aethiopia, nec tincturae mundissimae componetur.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
20 Unde ergo sapientia venit? et quis est locus intelligentiae?
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 Abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium, volucres quoque caeli latet.
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
22 Perditio et mors dixerunt: Auribus nostris audivimus famam eius.
Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
23 Deus intelligit viam eius, et ipse novit locum illius.
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
24 Ipse enim fines mundi intuetur: et omnia, quae sub caelo sunt, respicit.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
25 Qui fecit ventis pondus, et aquas appendit in mensura.
To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
26 Quando ponebat pluviis legem, et viam procellis sonantibus:
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
27 Tunc vidit illam, et enarravit, et praeparavit, et investigavit.
Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
28 Et dixit homini: Ecce timor Domini, ipsa est sapientia: et recedere a malo, intelligentia.
And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
