Job 28
1 habet argentum venarum suarum principia et auro locus est in quo conflatur
Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;
2 ferrum de terra tollitur et lapis solutus calore in aes vertitur
Iron from the dust is taken, And [from] the firm stone brass.
3 tempus posuit tenebris et universorum finem ipse considerat lapidem quoque caliginis et umbram mortis
An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade.
4 dividit torrens a populo peregrinante eos quos oblitus est pes egentis hominum et invios
A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.
5 terra de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo igne subversa est
The earth! from it cometh forth bread, 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 hath dust of gold.
7 semitam ignoravit avis nec intuitus est oculus vulturis
A path — not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,
8 non calcaverunt eam filii institorum nec pertransivit per eam leaena
Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.
9 ad silicem extendit manum suam subvertit a radicibus montes
Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.
10 in petris rivos excidit et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius
Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.
11 profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est et abscondita produxit in lucem
From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out [to] light.
12 sapientia vero ubi invenitur et quis est locus intellegentiae
And the wisdom — whence is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
13 nescit homo pretium eius nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium
Man hath 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 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
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
Not equal it do gold and crystal, 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
Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.
20 unde ergo sapientia veniet et quis est locus intellegentiae
And the wisdom — whence doth it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
21 abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium volucres quoque caeli latet
It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath 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 hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.
24 ipse enim fines mundi intuetur et omnia quae sub caelo sunt respicit
For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,
25 qui fecit ventis pondus et aquas adpendit mensura
To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out 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 hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out,
28 et dixit homini ecce timor Domini ipsa est sapientia et recedere a malo intellegentia
And He saith to man: — 'Lo, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.'
