Job 28
1 habet argentum venarum suarum principia et auro locus est in quo conflatur
“Surely there is a source for silver, And a place for the gold they refine;
2 ferrum de terra tollitur et lapis solutus calore in aes vertitur
Iron is taken from the dust, And bronze [from] the firm stone.
3 tempus posuit tenebris et universorum finem ipse considerat lapidem quoque caliginis et umbram mortis
He has set an end to darkness, And he is searching to all perfection, A stone of darkness and death-shade.
4 dividit torrens a populo peregrinante eos quos oblitus est pes egentis hominum et invios
A stream has broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, they wandered from man.
5 terra de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo igne subversa est
The earth! Bread comes forth from it, And its under-part is turned like fire.
6 locus sapphyri lapides eius et glebae illius aurum
A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it has dust of gold.
7 semitam ignoravit avis nec intuitus est oculus vulturis
A path—a ravenous bird has not known it, Nor has an eye of the falcon scorched it,
8 non calcaverunt eam filii institorum nec pertransivit per eam leaena
Nor have the sons of pride trodden it, The fierce lion has not passed over it.
9 ad silicem extendit manum suam subvertit a radicibus montes
He sent forth his hand against the flint, He overturned mountains from the root.
10 in petris rivos excidit et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius
Among rocks, he has cleaved brooks, And his eye has seen every precious thing.
11 profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est et abscondita produxit in lucem
He has bound overflowing rivers, And the hidden thing brings out [to] light.
12 sapientia vero ubi invenitur et quis est locus intellegentiae
And the wisdom—from where is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
13 nescit homo pretium eius nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium
Man has 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 has said, It [is] not in me, And the sea has said, It is not with me.
15 non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea nec adpendetur argentum in commutatione eius
Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed—its price.
16 non conferetur tinctis Indiae coloribus nec lapidi sardonico pretiosissimo vel sapphyro
It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,
17 non adaequabitur ei aurum vel vitrum nec commutabuntur pro ea vasa auri
Gold and crystal do not equal it, Nor [is] its exchange a vessel of fine gold.
18 excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur conparatione eius trahitur autem sapientia de occultis
Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom [is] above rubies.
19 non adaequabitur ei topazium de Aethiopia nec tincturae mundissimae conponetur
The topaz of Cush does not equal it, It is not valued with pure gold.
20 unde ergo sapientia veniet et quis est locus intellegentiae
And the wisdom—from where does it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
21 abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium volucres quoque caeli latet
It has been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the bird of the heavens It has been hidden.
22 perditio et mors dixerunt auribus nostris audivimus famam eius
Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard its fame.
23 Deus intellegit viam eius et ipse novit locum illius
God has understood its way, And He has known its place.
24 ipse enim fines mundi intuetur et omnia quae sub caelo sunt respicit
For He looks to the ends of the earth, He sees under the whole heavens,
25 qui fecit ventis pondus et aquas adpendit mensura
To make a weight for the wind, And He meted out the waters 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 praeparavit et investigavit
Then He has seen and declares it, He has prepared it, and also searched it out,
28 et dixit homini ecce timor Domini ipsa est sapientia et recedere a malo intellegentia
And He says to man: Behold, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.”
