Job 28
1 [Habet argentum venarum suarum principia, et auro locus est in quo conflatur.
Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold which they refine;
2 Ferrum de terra tollitur, et lapis solutus calore in æs vertitur.
Iron is taken out of the dust, and copper is molten out of the stone.
3 Tempus posuit tenebris, et universorum finem ipse considerat: lapidem quoque caliginis et umbram mortis.
[Man] putteth an end to the darkness, and exploreth to the utmost limit, the stones of darkness and of the shadow of death.
4 Dividit torrens a populo peregrinante eos quos oblitus est pes egentis hominis, et invios.
He openeth a shaft far from the inhabitants [of the earth]: forgotten of the foot, they hang suspended; away below men they hover.
5 Terra de qua oriebatur panis, in loco suo igni subversa est.
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as by fire;
6 Locus sapphiri lapides ejus, et glebæ illius aurum.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.
7 Semitam ignoravit avis, nec intuitus est eam oculus vulturis.
It is a path no bird of prey knoweth, and the vulture's eye hath not seen it;
8 Non calcaverunt eam filii institorum, nec pertransivit per eam leæna.
The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed over it.
9 Ad silicem extendit manum suam: subvertit a radicibus montes.
[Man] putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock, he overturneth the mountains by the root.
10 In petris rivos excidit, et omne pretiosum vidit oculus ejus.
He cutteth out channels in the rocks, and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 Profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est, et abscondita in lucem produxit.
He bindeth the streams that they drip not, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
12 Sapientia vero ubi invenitur? et quis est locus intelligentiæ?
But wisdom, where shall it be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Nescit homo pretium ejus, nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium.
Man knoweth not the value thereof; and it is not 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 appendetur argentum in commutatione ejus.
Choice gold cannot be given for it, nor silver be weighed for its price.
16 Non conferetur tinctis Indiæ coloribus, nec lapidi sardonycho pretiosissimo vel sapphiro.
It is not set in the balance with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, and the sapphire.
17 Non adæquabitur ei aurum vel vitrum, nec commutabuntur pro ea vasa auri.
Gold and glass cannot be compared to it, nor vessels of fine gold be its exchange.
18 Excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur comparatione ejus: trahitur autem sapientia de occultis.
Corals and crystal are no more remembered; yea, the acquisition of wisdom is above rubies.
19 Non adæquabitur ei topazius de Æthiopia, nec tincturæ mundissimæ componetur.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be compared to it, neither shall it be set in the balance with pure gold.
20 Unde ergo sapientia venit? et quis est locus intelligentiæ?
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 Abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium: volucres quoque cæli latet.
For it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the fowl of the heavens.
22 Perditio et mors dixerunt: Auribus nostris audivimus famam ejus.
Destruction and death say, We have heard its report with our ears.
23 Deus intelligit viam ejus, et ipse novit locum illius.
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth its place:
24 Ipse enim fines mundi intuetur, et omnia quæ sub cælo sunt respicit.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, he seeth under the whole heaven.
25 Qui fecit ventis pondus, et aquas appendit in mensura.
In making a weight for the wind, and meting out the waters by measure,
26 Quando ponebat pluviis legem, et viam procellis sonantibus:
In appointing a statute for the rain, and a way for the thunder's flash:
27 tunc vidit illam et enarravit, et præparavit, 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, intelligentia.]
And unto man he said, Lo, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
