| Chapter 28 |
1 |
Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it. --
|
2 |
Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is melted out of the stone. --
|
3 |
He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shades of death. --
|
4 |
The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant: even the waters forgotten by the foot: they are dried up, they have gone away from men. --
|
5 |
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire. --
|
6 |
The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold. --
|
7 |
There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vultur's eye hath not seen: --
|
8 |
The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it. --
|
9 |
He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots. --
|
10 |
He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing. --
|
11 |
He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid he bringeth forth to light. --
|
12 |
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? --
|
13 |
Man knoweth not the price of it; neither is it found in the land of the living. --
|
14 |
The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me. --
|
15 |
It cannot be obtained for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price of it. --
|
16 |
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. --
|
17 |
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. --
|
18 |
No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies. --
|
19 |
The topaz of Cush shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold. --
|
20 |
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? --
|
21 |
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air. --
|
22 |
Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame of it with our ears. --
|
23 |
God understandeth the way of it, and he knoweth its place. --
|
24 |
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; --
|
25 |
To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure. --
|
26 |
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder: --
|
27 |
Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out. --
|
28 |
And to man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. --
|