|
[1]Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;
[2]Iron from the dust is taken, And [from] the firm stone brass.
[3]An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade.
[4]A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.
[5]The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire.
[6]A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it hath dust of gold.
[7]A path -- not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,
[8]Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.
[9]Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.
[10]Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.
[11]From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out [to] light.
[12]And the wisdom -- whence is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
[13]Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.
[14]The deep hath said, `It [is] not in me,' And the sea hath said, `It is not with me.'
[15]Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed -- its price.
[16]It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,
[17]Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor [is] its exchange a vessel of fine gold.
[18]Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom [is] above rubies.
[19]Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.
[20]And the wisdom -- whence doth it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
[21]It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden.
[22]Destruction and death have said: `With our ears we have heard its fame.'
[23]God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.
[24]For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,
[25]To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure.
[26]In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,
[27]Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out,
[28]And He saith to man: -- `Lo, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.'
|