Chapter 28

  Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out.  

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  Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire.  

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  Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark.  

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  He makes a deep mine far away from those living in the light of day; when they go about on the earth, they have no knowledge of those who are under them, who are hanging far from men, twisting from side to side on a cord.  

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  As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire.  

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  Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.  

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  No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it.  

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  The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way.  

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  Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots.  

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  He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value.  

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  He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light.  

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  But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?  

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  Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living.  

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  The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.  

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  Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it.  

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  It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire.  

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  Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold.  

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  There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls.  

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  The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold.  

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  From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?  

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  For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air.  

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  Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears.  

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  God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place;  

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  For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven.  

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  When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters;  

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  When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;  

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  Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely.  

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  And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.  

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