Job 28
1 Habet argentum, venarum suarum principia: et auro locus est, in quo conflatur.
Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out.
2 Ferrum de terra tollitur: et lapis solutus calore, in aes vertitur.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire.
3 Tempus posuit tenebris, et universorum finem ipse considerat, lapidem quoque caliginis, et umbram mortis.
Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark.
4 Dividit torrens a populo peregrinante, eos, quos oblitus est pes egentis hominis, et invios.
He makes a deep mine far away from those living in the light of day; when they go about on the earth, they have no knowledge of those who are under them, who are hanging far from men, twisting from side to side on a cord.
5 Terra, de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo, igni subversa est.
As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire.
6 Locus sapphiri lapides eius, et glebae illius aurum.
Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.
7 Semitam ignoravit avis, nec intuitus est eam oculus vulturis.
No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it.
8 Non calcaverunt eam filii institorum, nec pertransivit per eam leaena.
The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way.
9 Ad silicem extendit manum suam, subvertit a radicibus montes.
Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots.
10 In petris rivos excidit, et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius.
He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value.
11 Profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est, et abscondita in lucem produxit.
He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light.
12 Sapientia vero ubi invenitur? et quis est locus intelligentiae?
But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
13 Nescit homo pretium eius, nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium.
Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living.
14 Abyssus dicit: Non est in me: et mare loquitur: Non est mecum.
The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.
15 Non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea, nec appendetur argentum in commutatione eius.
Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it.
16 Non conferetur tinctis Indiae coloribus, nec lapidi sardonycho pretiosissimo, vel sapphiro.
It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire.
17 Non adaequabitur ei aurum vel vitrum, nec commutabuntur pro ea vasa auri:
Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold.
18 Excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur comparatione eius: trahitur autem sapientia de occultis.
There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls.
19 Non adaequabitur ei topazius de Aethiopia, nec tincturae mundissimae componetur.
The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold.
20 Unde ergo sapientia venit? et quis est locus intelligentiae?
From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
21 Abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium, volucres quoque caeli latet.
For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air.
22 Perditio et mors dixerunt: Auribus nostris audivimus famam eius.
Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears.
23 Deus intelligit viam eius, et ipse novit locum illius.
God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place;
24 Ipse enim fines mundi intuetur: et omnia, quae sub caelo sunt, respicit.
For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven.
25 Qui fecit ventis pondus, et aquas appendit in mensura.
When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters;
26 Quando ponebat pluviis legem, et viam procellis sonantibus:
When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;
27 Tunc vidit illam, et enarravit, et praeparavit, et investigavit.
Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely.
28 Et dixit homini: Ecce timor Domini, ipsa est sapientia: et recedere a malo, intelligentia.
And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
