| 1 |
habet argentum venarum suarum principia et auro locus est in quo conflatur
Silver hath beginnings of its veins, and gold hath a place wherein it is melted.
|
| 2 |
ferrum de terra tollitur et lapis solutus calore in aes vertitur
Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone melted with heat is turned into brass.
|
| 3 |
tempus posuit tenebris et universorum finem ipse considerat lapidem quoque caliginis et umbram mortis
He hath set a time for darkness, and the end of all things he considereth, the stone also that is in the dark and the shadow of death.
|
| 4 |
dividit torrens a populo peregrinante eos quos oblitus est pes egentis hominum et invios
The flood divideth from the people that are on their journey, those whom the foot of the needy man hath forgotten, and who cannot be come at.
|
| 5 |
terra de qua oriebatur panis in loco suo igne subversa est
The land, out of which bread grew in its place, hath been overturned with fire.
|
| 6 |
locus sapphyri lapides eius et glebae illius aurum
The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and the clods of it are gold.
|
| 7 |
semitam ignoravit avis nec intuitus est oculus vulturis
The bird hath not known the path, neither hath the eye of the vulture beheld it.
|
| 8 |
non calcaverunt eam filii institorum nec pertransivit per eam leaena
The children of the merchants have not trodden it, neither hath the lioness passed by it.
|
| 9 |
ad silicem extendit manum suam subvertit a radicibus montes
He hath stretched forth his hand to the flint, he hath overturned mountains from the roots.
|
| 10 |
in petris rivos excidit et omne pretiosum vidit oculus eius
In the rocks he hath cut out rivers, and his eye hath seen every precious thing.
|
| 11 |
profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est et abscondita produxit in lucem
The depths also of rivers he hath searched, and hidden things he hath brought forth to light.
|
| 12 |
sapientia vero ubi invenitur et quis est locus intellegentiae
But where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?
|
| 13 |
nescit homo pretium eius nec invenitur in terra suaviter viventium
Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of them that live in delights.
|
| 14 |
abyssus dicit non est in me et mare loquitur non est mecum
The depth saith: It is not in me: and the sea saith: It is not with me.
|
| 15 |
non dabitur aurum obrizum pro ea nec adpendetur argentum in commutatione eius
The finest gold shall not purchase it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
|
| 16 |
non conferetur tinctis Indiae coloribus nec lapidi sardonico pretiosissimo vel sapphyro
It shall not be compared with the dyed colours of India, or with the most precious stone sardonyx, or the sapphire.
|
| 17 |
non adaequabitur ei aurum vel vitrum nec commutabuntur pro ea vasa auri
Gold or crystal cannot equal it, neither shall any vessels of gold be changed for it.
|
| 18 |
excelsa et eminentia non memorabuntur conparatione eius trahitur autem sapientia de occultis
High and eminent things shall not be mentioned in comparison of it: but wisdom is drawn out of secret places.
|
| 19 |
non adaequabitur ei topazium de Aethiopia nec tincturae mundissimae conponetur
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equal to it, neither shall it be compared to the cleanest dyeing.
|
| 20 |
unde ergo sapientia veniet et quis est locus intellegentiae
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
|
| 21 |
abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium volucres quoque caeli latet
It is hid from the eyes of all living, and the fowls of the air know it not.
|
| 22 |
perditio et mors dixerunt auribus nostris audivimus famam eius
Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard the fame thereof.
|
| 23 |
Deus intellegit viam eius et ipse novit locum illius
God understandeth the way of it, and he knoweth the place thereof.
|
| 24 |
ipse enim fines mundi intuetur et omnia quae sub caelo sunt respicit
For he beholdeth the ends of the world: and looketh on all things that are under heaven.
|
| 25 |
qui fecit ventis pondus et aquas adpendit mensura
Who made a weight for the winds, and weighed the waters by measure.
|
| 26 |
quando ponebat pluviis legem et viam procellis sonantibus
When he gave a law for the rain, and a way for the sounding storms.
|
| 27 |
tunc vidit illam et enarravit et praeparavit et investigavit
Then he saw it, and declared, and prepared, and searched it.
|
| 28 |
et dixit homini ecce timor Domini ipsa est sapientia et recedere a malo intellegentia
And he said to man: Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom: and to depart from evil, is understanding.
|
