Job 28

Surely there is a veine for the siluer, and a place for golde where they fine it.

Iron is taken out of the earth, and brasse is molten out of the stone.

Hee setteth an ende to darkenesse, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkenesse and the shadow of death.

The floud breaketh out from the inhabitant; euen the waters forgotten of the foote: they are dried vp, they are gone away from men.

5

As for the earth, out of it commeth bread: and vnder it, is turned vp as it were fire.

6

The stones of it are the place of Saphires: and it hath dust of golde.

7

There is a path which no foule knoweth, and which the vulturs eye hath not seene.

8

The lyons whelps haue not troden it, nor the fierce lyon passed by it.

9

Hee putteth foorth his hand vpon the rocke; hee ouerturneth the mountaines by the rootes.

10

Hee cutteth out riuers among the rockes, and his eye seeth euery precious thing.

11

He bindeth the flouds from ouerflowing, and the thing that is hid, bringeth he foorth to light.

12

But where shall wisedome bee found? and where is the place of vnderstanding?

13

Man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of the liuing.

14

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

15

It cannot be gotten for golde, neither shall siluer be weighed for the price thereof.

16

It cannot be valued with the golde of Ophir, with the precious Onix, or the Saphire.

17

The golde and the chrystall cannot equall it: and the exchange of it shall not be for iewels of fine golde.

18

No mention shalbe made of Corall, or of Pearles: for the price of wisedome is aboue Rubies.

19

The Topaze of Ethiopia shall not equall it, neither shall it be valued with pure golde.

20

Whence then commeth wisedome? and where is the place of vnderstanding?

21

Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all liuing, and kept close from the foules of the ayre.

22

Destruction and death say, Wee haue heard the fame thereof with our eares.

23

God vnderstandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

24

For hee looketh to the endes of the earth, and seeth vnder the whole heauen:

25

To make the weight for the windes, and he weigheth the waters by measure.

26

When hee made a decree for the raine, 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 vnto man he said, Behold, the feare of the Lord, that is wisedome, and to depart from euill, is vnderstanding.