Job 28
1 habet argentum venarum suarum principia et auro locus est in quo conflatur
"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.
2 ferrum de terra tollitur et lapis solutus calore in aes vertitur
Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.
3 tempus posuit tenebris et universorum finem ipse considerat lapidem quoque caliginis et umbram mortis
Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.
4 dividit torrens a populo peregrinante eos quos oblitus est pes egentis hominum et invios
He breaks open a shaft away from where people live. They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.
5 terra de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo igne subversa est
As for the earth, out of it comes bread; Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
6 locus sapphyri lapides eius et glebae illius aurum
Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.
7 semitam ignoravit avis nec intuitus est oculus vulturis
That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon's eye seen it.
8 non calcaverunt eam filii institorum nec pertransivit per eam leaena
The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.
9 ad silicem extendit manum suam subvertit a radicibus montes
He puts forth his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.
10 in petris rivos excidit et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius
He cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.
11 profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est et abscondita produxit in lucem
He binds the streams that they do not trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings forth to light.
12 sapientia vero ubi invenitur et quis est locus intellegentiae
"But where shall wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
13 nescit homo pretium eius nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium
Man doesn't know its price; Neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 abyssus dicit non est in me et mare loquitur non est mecum
The deep says, 'It isn't in me.' The sea says, 'It isn't with me.'
15 non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea nec adpendetur argentum in commutatione eius
It can't be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for its price.
16 non conferetur tinctis Indiae coloribus nec lapidi sardonico pretiosissimo vel sapphyro
It can't 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
Gold and glass can't equal it, neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18 excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur conparatione eius trahitur autem sapientia de occultis
No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 non adaequabitur ei topazium de Aethiopia nec tincturae mundissimae conponetur
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
20 unde ergo sapientia veniet et quis est locus intellegentiae
From where then comes wisdom? Where is the place of understanding?
21 abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium volucres quoque caeli latet
Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky.
22 perditio et mors dixerunt auribus nostris audivimus famam eius
Destruction and Death say, 'We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.'
23 Deus intellegit viam eius et ipse novit locum illius
"God understands its way, and he knows its place.
24 ipse enim fines mundi intuetur et omnia quae sub caelo sunt respicit
For he looks to the farthest parts of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.
25 qui fecit ventis pondus et aquas adpendit mensura
He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures out 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 he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.
28 et dixit homini ecce timor Domini ipsa est sapientia et recedere a malo intellegentia
To man he said, 'Look, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.'"
