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 brass is molten out of the stone.
3 tempus posuit tenebris et universorum finem ipse considerat lapidem quoque caliginis et umbram mortis
[Man] setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out to the furthest bound the stones of thick darkness and of the shadow of death.
4 dividit torrens a populo peregrinante eos quos oblitus est pes egentis hominum et invios
He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; they are forgotten of the foot [that passeth by]; they hang afar from men, they swing to and fro.
5 terra de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo igne subversa est
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
6 locus sapphyri lapides eius et glebae illius aurum
The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.
7 semitam ignoravit avis nec intuitus est oculus vulturis
That path no bird of prey knoweth, neither hath the falcon’s eye seen it:
8 non calcaverunt eam filii institorum nec pertransivit per eam leaena
The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor hath the fierce lion passed thereby.
9 ad silicem extendit manum suam subvertit a radicibus montes
He putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
10 in petris rivos excidit et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius
He cutteth out channels among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est et abscondita produxit in lucem
He bindeth the streams that they trickle not; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.
12 sapientia vero ubi invenitur et quis est locus intellegentiae
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 deep saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea nec adpendetur 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 sardonico pretiosissimo vel sapphyro
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
Gold and glass cannot equal it: neither shall the exchange thereof be 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: yea, 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
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 a rumour thereof with our ears.
23 Deus intellegit 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 adpendit mensura
To make a weight for the wind; yea, he meteth 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 did he see it, and declare it; he established it, yea, and searched it out.
28 et dixit homini ecce timor Domini ipsa est sapientia et recedere a malo intellegentia
And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
