The Earth's Treasures

1Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;

2Iron from the dust is taken, And [from] the firm stone brass.

3An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade.

4A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.

5The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire.

6A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it hath dust of gold.

7A path — not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,

8Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.

9Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.

10Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.

11From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out [to] light.

Wisdom an Excellent Gift of God

12And the wisdom — whence is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?

13Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.

14The deep hath said, ‘It [is] not in me,’ And the sea hath said, ‘It is not with me.’

15Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed — its price.

16It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,

17Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor [is] its exchange a vessel of fine gold.

18Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom [is] above rubies.

19Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.

20And the wisdom — whence doth it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?

21It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden.

22Destruction and death have said: ‘With our ears we have heard its fame.’

23God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.

24For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,

25To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure.

26In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,

27Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out,

28And He saith to man: — ‘Lo, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.’