Job 28
1 Siluer hath bigynnyngis of his veynes; and a place is to gold, in which it is wellid togidere.
For there is a place for the silver, whence it comes, and a place for the gold, whence it is refined.
2 Irun is takun fro erthe, and a stoon resolued, `ethir meltid, bi heete, is turned in to money.
For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone.
3 God hath set tyme to derknessis, and he biholdith the ende of alle thingis.
He has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone [is] darkness, and the shadow of death.
4 Also a stronde departith a stoon of derknesse, and the schadewe of deth, fro the puple goynge in pilgrymage; it departith tho hillis, whiche the foot of a nedi man foryat, and hillis with out weie.
There is a cutting off the torrent by reason of dust: so they that forget the right way are weakened; they are removed from [among] men.
5 The erthe, wher of breed cam forth in his place, is destried bi fier.
[As for] the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire.
6 The place of saphir ben stoonys therof, and the clottis therof ben gold.
Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and [her] dust [supplies] man with gold.
7 A brid knewe not the weie, and the iye of a vultur, ethir rauenouse brid, bihelde it not.
[There is] a path, the fowl has not known it, neither has the eye of the vulture seen it:
8 The sones of marchauntis tretiden not on it, and a lyonesse passide not therbi.
neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it.
9 God stretchide forth his hond to a flynt; he distriede hillis fro the rootis.
He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp [rock], and turned up mountains by the roots:
10 He hewide doun ryuers in stoonys; and his iye siy al precious thing.
and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers, and mine eye has seen every precious thing.
11 And he souyte out the depthis of floodis; and he brouyte forth hid thingis in to liyt.
And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.
12 But where is wisdom foundun, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?
But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?
13 A man noot the prijs therof, nether it is foundun in the lond of men lyuynge swetli, `ether delicatli.
A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered among men.
14 The depthe of watris seith, It is not in me; and the see spekith, It is not with me.
The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.
15 Gold ful cleene schal not be youun for wisdom, nether siluer schal be weied in the chaungyng therof.
One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
16 It schal not be comparysound to the died colours of Iynde, not to the moost preciouse stoon of sardius, nether to saphir.
Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire.
17 Nether gold, nether glas schal be maad euene worth therto;
Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it, neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange.
18 and hiye and fer apperynge vessels of gold schulen not be chaungid for wisdom, nether schulen be had in mynde in comparisoun therof. Forsothe wisdom is drawun of pryuy thingis;
Coral and fine pearl shall not be mentioned: but do thou esteem wisdom above the most precious things.
19 topasie of Ethiope schal not be maad euene worth to wisdom, and moost preciouse diyngis schulen not be set togidere in prijs, `ether comparisound, therto.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equalled to it; it shall not be compared with pure gold.
20 Therfor wherof cometh wisdom, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?
Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?
21 It is hid fro the iyen of alle lyuynge men; also it is hid fro briddis of heuene.
It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky.
22 Perdicioun and deeth seiden, With oure eeris we herden the fame therof.
Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it.
23 God vndurstondith the weye therof, and he knowith the place therof.
God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it.
24 For he biholdith the endis of the world, and biholdith alle thingis that ben vndur heuene.
For he surveys the whole [earth] under heaven, knowing the things in the earth:
25 `Which God made weiyte to wyndis, and weiede watris in mesure.
all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.
26 Whanne he settide lawe to reyn, and weie to tempestis sownynge;
When he made [them], thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder.
27 thanne he siy wisdom, and telde out, and made redi, and souyte out.
Then he saw it, and declared it: he prepared it [and] traced it out.
28 And he seide to man, Lo! the drede of the Lord, thilke is wisdom; and to go awei fro yuel, is vndurstondyng.
And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.
