Chapter 28

  Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.  

-

  Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is melted out of the stone.  

-

  He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shades of death.  

-

  The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant: even the waters forgotten by the foot: they are dried up, they have gone away from men.  

-

  As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.  

-

  The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.  

-

  There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vultur's eye hath not seen:  

-

  The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.  

-

  He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.  

-

  He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.  

-

  He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid he bringeth forth to light.  

-

  But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?  

-

  Man knoweth not the price of it; neither is it found in the land of the living.  

-

  The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.  

-

  It cannot be obtained for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price of it.  

-

  It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.  

-

  The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.  

-

  No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.  

-

  The topaz of Cush shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.  

-

  Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?  

-

  Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.  

-

  Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame of it with our ears.  

-

  God understandeth the way of it, and he knoweth its place.  

-

  For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;  

-

  To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.  

-

  When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:  

-

  Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.  

-

  And to man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.  

-