Chapter 28

  Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;  

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  Iron from the dust is taken, And [from] the firm stone brass.  

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  An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade.  

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  A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.  

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  The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire.  

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  A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it hath dust of gold.  

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  A path -- not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,  

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  Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.  

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  Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.  

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  Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.  

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  From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out [to] light.  

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  And the wisdom -- whence is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?  

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  Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.  

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  The deep hath said, 'It [is] not in me,' And the sea hath said, 'It is not with me.'  

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  Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed -- its price.  

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  It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,  

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  Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor [is] its exchange a vessel of fine gold.  

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  Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom [is] above rubies.  

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  Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.  

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  And the wisdom -- whence doth it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?  

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  It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden.  

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  Destruction and death have said: 'With our ears we have heard its fame.'  

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  God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.  

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  For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,  

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  To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure.  

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  In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,  

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  Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out,  

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  And He saith to man: -- 'Lo, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.'  

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