Liber Iob, 28
1. habet argentum venarum suarum principia et auro locus est in quo conflatur
1. Silver hath beginnings of its veins, and gold hath a place wherein it is melted.
2. ferrum de terra tollitur et lapis solutus calore in æs vertitur
2. Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone melted with heat is turned into brass.
3. tempus posuit tenebris et universorum finem ipse considerat lapidem quoque caliginis et umbram mortis
3. He hath set a time for darkness, and the end of all things he considereth, the stone also that is in the dark and the shadow of death.
4. dividit torrens a populo peregrinante eos quos oblitus est pes egentis hominum et invios
4. The flood divideth from the people that are on their journey, those whom the food of the needy man hath forgotten, and who cannot be come at.
5. terra de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo igne subversa est
5. The land, out of which bread grew in its place, hath been overturned with fire.
6. locus sapphyri lapides ejus et glebæ illius aurum
6. The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and the clods of it are gold.
7. semitam ignoravit avis nec intuitus est oculus vulturis
7. The bird hath not known the path, neither hath the eye of the vulture beheld it.
8. non calcaverunt eam filii institorum nec pertransivit per eam leæna
8. The children of the merchants have not trodden it, neither hath the lioness passed by it.
9. ad silicem extendit manum suam subvertit a radicibus montes
9. He hath stretched forth his hand to the flint, he hath overturned mountains from the roots.
10. in petris rivos excidit et omne pretiosum vidit oculus ejus
10. In the rocks he hath cut out rivers, and his eye hath seen every precious thing.
11. profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est et abscondita produxit in lucem
11. The depths also of rivers he hath searched, and hidden things he hath brought forth to light.
12. sapientia vero ubi invenitur et quis est locus intellegentiæ
12. But where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?
13. nescit homo pretium ejus nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium
13. Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of them that live in delights.
14. abyssus dicit non est in me et mare loquitur non est mecum
14. The depth saith: It is not in me: and the sea saith: It is not with me.
15. non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea nec adpendetur argentum in commutatione ejus
15. The finest gold shall not purchase it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it
16. non conferetur tinctis Indiæ coloribus nec lapidi sardonico pretiosissimo vel sapphyro
16. It shall not be compared with the dyed colours of India, or with the most precious stone sardonyx, or the sapphire.
17. non adæquabitur ei aurum vel vitrum nec commutabuntur pro ea vasa auri
17. Gold or crystal cannot equal it, neither shall any vessels of gold be changed for it.
18. excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur conparatione ejus trahitur autem sapientia de occultis
18. High and eminent things shall not be mentioned in comparison of it: but wisdom is drawn out of secret places.
19. non adæquabitur ei topazium de Æthiopia nec tincturæ mundissimæ conponetur
19. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equal to it, neither shall it be compared to the cleanest dyeing.
20. unde ergo sapientia veniet et quis est locus intellegentiæ
20. Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21. abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium volucres quoque cæli latet
21. It is hid from the eyes of all living. and the fowls of the air know it not.
22. perditio et mors dixerunt auribus nostris audivimus famam ejus
22. Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard the fame thereof.
23. Deus intellegit viam ejus et ipse novit locum illius
23. God understandeth the way of it, and he knoweth the place thereof.
24. ipse enim fines mundi intuetur et omnia quæ sub cælo sunt respicit
24. For he beholdeth the ends of the world: and looketh on all things that are under heaven.
25. qui fecit ventis pondus et aquas adpendit mensura
25. Who made a weight for the winds and weighed the waters by measure.
26. quando ponebat pluviis legem et viam procellis sonantibus
26. When he gave a law for the rain, and a way for the sounding storms.
27. tunc vidit illam et enarravit et præparavit et investigavit
27. Then he saw it, and declared, and prepared, and searched it.
28. et dixit homini ecce timor Domini ipsa est sapientia et recedere a malo intellegentia
28. And he said to man: Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom: and to depart from evil, is understanding.
