Capítulo 28

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

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

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

4 - 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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