Job 28
1 Habet argentum, venarum suarum principia: et auro locus est, in quo conflatur.
For there is a place for the silver, whence it comes, and a place for the gold, whence it is refined.
2 Ferrum de terra tollitur: et lapis solutus calore, in aes vertitur.
For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone.
3 Tempus posuit tenebris, et universorum finem ipse considerat, lapidem quoque caliginis, et umbram mortis.
He has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone [is] darkness, and the shadow of death.
4 Dividit torrens a populo peregrinante, eos, quos oblitus est pes egentis hominis, et invios.
There is a cutting off the torrent by reason of dust: so they that forget the right way are weakened; they are removed from [among] men.
5 Terra, de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo, igni subversa est.
[As for] the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire.
6 Locus sapphiri lapides eius, et glebae illius aurum.
Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and [her] dust [supplies] man with gold.
7 Semitam ignoravit avis, nec intuitus est eam oculus vulturis.
[There is] a path, the fowl has not known it, neither has the eye of the vulture seen it:
8 Non calcaverunt eam filii institorum, nec pertransivit per eam leaena.
neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it.
9 Ad silicem extendit manum suam, subvertit a radicibus montes.
He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp [rock], and turned up mountains by the roots:
10 In petris rivos excidit, et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius.
and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers, and mine eye has seen every precious thing.
11 Profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est, et abscondita in lucem produxit.
And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.
12 Sapientia vero ubi invenitur? et quis est locus intelligentiae?
But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?
13 Nescit homo pretium eius, nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium.
A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered among men.
14 Abyssus dicit: Non est in me: et mare loquitur: Non est mecum.
The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.
15 Non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea, nec appendetur argentum in commutatione eius.
One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
16 Non conferetur tinctis Indiae coloribus, nec lapidi sardonycho pretiosissimo, vel sapphiro.
Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire.
17 Non adaequabitur ei aurum vel vitrum, nec commutabuntur pro ea vasa auri:
Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it, neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange.
18 Excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur comparatione eius: trahitur autem sapientia de occultis.
Coral and fine pearl shall not be mentioned: but do you esteem wisdom above the most precious things.
19 Non adaequabitur ei topazius de Aethiopia, nec tincturae mundissimae componetur.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equalled to it; it shall not be compared with pure gold.
20 Unde ergo sapientia venit? et quis est locus intelligentiae?
Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?
21 Abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium, volucres quoque caeli latet.
It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky.
22 Perditio et mors dixerunt: Auribus nostris audivimus famam eius.
Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it.
23 Deus intelligit viam eius, et ipse novit locum illius.
God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it.
24 Ipse enim fines mundi intuetur: et omnia, quae sub caelo sunt, respicit.
For he surveys the whole [earth] under heaven, knowing the things in the earth:
25 Qui fecit ventis pondus, et aquas appendit in mensura.
all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.
26 Quando ponebat pluviis legem, et viam procellis sonantibus:
When he made [them], thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder.
27 Tunc vidit illam, et enarravit, et praeparavit, et investigavit.
Then he saw it, and declared it: he prepared it [and] traced it out.
28 Et dixit homini: Ecce timor Domini, ipsa est sapientia: et recedere a malo, intelligentia.
And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.
