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 where they fine it.
2 ferrum de terra tollitur et lapis solutus calore in aes vertitur
Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
3 tempus posuit tenebris et universorum finem ipse considerat lapidem quoque caliginis et umbram mortis
He sets an end to darkness, and searches out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
4 dividit torrens a populo peregrinante eos quos oblitus est pes egentis hominum et invios
The flood breaks out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
5 terra de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo igne subversa est
As for the earth, out of it comes bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
6 locus sapphyri lapides eius et glebae illius aurum
The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it has dust of gold.
7 semitam ignoravit avis nec intuitus est oculus vulturis
There is a path which no fowl knows, and which the vulture’s eye has not seen:
8 non calcaverunt eam filii institorum nec pertransivit per eam leaena
The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
9 ad silicem extendit manum suam subvertit a radicibus montes
He puts forth his hand on the rock; he overturns the mountains by the roots.
10 in petris rivos excidit et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius
He cuts out rivers among the rocks; and his eye sees every precious thing.
11 profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est et abscondita produxit in lucem
He binds the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid brings he forth to light.
12 sapientia vero ubi invenitur et quis est locus intellegentiae
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 nescit homo pretium eius nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium
Man knows not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 abyssus dicit non est in me et mare loquitur non est mecum
The depth says, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.
15 non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea nec adpendetur argentum in commutatione eius
It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
16 non conferetur tinctis Indiae coloribus nec lapidi sardonico pretiosissimo vel sapphyro
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 non adaequabitur ei aurum vel vitrum nec commutabuntur pro ea vasa auri
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
18 excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur conparatione eius trahitur autem sapientia de occultis
No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 non adaequabitur ei topazium de Aethiopia nec tincturae mundissimae conponetur
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
20 unde ergo sapientia veniet et quis est locus intellegentiae
From where then comes wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium volucres quoque caeli latet
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
22 perditio et mors dixerunt auribus nostris audivimus famam eius
Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
23 Deus intellegit viam eius et ipse novit locum illius
God understands the way thereof, and he knows the place thereof.
24 ipse enim fines mundi intuetur et omnia quae sub caelo sunt respicit
For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole heaven;
25 qui fecit ventis pondus et aquas adpendit mensura
To make the weight for the winds; and he weighs the waters by measure.
26 quando ponebat pluviis legem et viam procellis sonantibus
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
27 tunc vidit illam et enarravit et praeparavit et investigavit
Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yes, and searched it out.
28 et dixit homini ecce timor Domini ipsa est sapientia et recedere a malo intellegentia
And to man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
