Job 28
1 habet argentum venarum suarum principia et auro locus est in quo conflatur
Though there is, for silver, a vein, and a place for the gold they refine;
2 ferrum de terra tollitur et lapis solutus calore in aes vertitur
Iron, out of the ore, is taken, and, stone, poureth out copper;
3 tempus posuit tenebris et universorum finem ipse considerat lapidem quoque caliginis et umbram mortis
An end, hath one set to the darkness, and, into every extremity, is, he, making search, for the stone of darkness and death-shade;
4 dividit torrens a populo peregrinante eos quos oblitus est pes egentis hominum et invios
He hath sunken a shaft, away from the inhabitants; Places forsaken by the foot, they hang down, away from men, sway to and fro;
5 terra de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo igne subversa est
As for the earth, out of it, cometh forth bread, and, under it, is upturned, as it were fire;
6 locus sapphyri lapides eius et glebae illius aurum
The place of sapphires, are the stones thereof, and it hath, nuggets of gold: —
7 semitam ignoravit avis nec intuitus est oculus vulturis
A path, the vulture hath not discerned, nor hath the eye of the hawk scanned it;
8 non calcaverunt eam filii institorum nec pertransivit per eam leaena
Ravenous beasts have not made a track thereof, neither hath the lion marched thereon:
9 ad silicem extendit manum suam subvertit a radicibus montes
Upon the flint, hath he thrust forth his hand, He hath turned up mountains by the roots;
10 in petris rivos excidit et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius
Among the rocks, hath he cut open streams, and, every precious thing, hath his eye seen:
11 profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est et abscondita produxit in lucem
From trickling, he restraineth, rivers, and, some hidden thing, is he bringing out to light.
12 sapientia vero ubi invenitur et quis est locus intellegentiae
Yet where can, Wisdom, be found? And where is the place of understanding?
13 nescit homo pretium eius nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium
Mortal knoweth not the way thereof, neither can it be found in the land of the living;
14 abyssus dicit non est in me et mare loquitur non est mecum
The resounding deep, hath said, It is not in me! And, the sea, hath said, It is not with me!
15 non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea nec adpendetur argentum in commutatione eius
Pure gold cannot be given in its stead, neither can silver he weighed as the value thereof;
16 non conferetur tinctis Indiae coloribus nec lapidi sardonico pretiosissimo vel sapphyro
It cannot be put into the scales against the gold of Ophir, with costly onyx, or sapphire;
17 non adaequabitur ei aurum vel vitrum nec commutabuntur pro ea vasa auri
Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can, the exchange thereof, be a vessel of pure gold,
18 excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur conparatione eius trahitur autem sapientia de occultis
Coral or crystal, cannot be mentioned, Yea, a possession, is wisdom, above red coral;
19 non adaequabitur ei topazium de Aethiopia nec tincturae mundissimae conponetur
The topaz of Ethiopia cannot compare with it, Against purest gold, can it not be weighed.
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 hath been hid from the eyes of every living thing, and, from the bird of the heavens, hath it been concealed?
22 perditio et mors dixerunt auribus nostris audivimus famam eius
Destruction and death, have said, With our ears, have we heard the report thereof!
23 Deus intellegit viam eius et ipse novit locum illius
GOD, understandeth the way thereof, and, he, discerneth the place thereof;
24 ipse enim fines mundi intuetur et omnia quae sub caelo sunt respicit
For, he, unto the ends of the earth, directeth his look, under all the heavens, he seeth;
25 qui fecit ventis pondus et aquas adpendit mensura
Making, for the wind, a weight, and, the waters, he proved by measure,
26 quando ponebat pluviis legem et viam procellis sonantibus
When he made, for the rain, a decree, and a way for the lightning of thunders,
27 tunc vidit illam et enarravit et praeparavit et investigavit
Then, saw he it, and declared it, He settled it, yea also he searched it out;
28 et dixit homini ecce timor Domini ipsa est sapientia et recedere a malo intellegentia
And said to the son of earth, Lo! the reverence of the Lord, that, is wisdom, and, to avoid evil, is understanding.
