章 |
28:1 |
'Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.
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28:2 |
Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from the ore.
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28:3 |
Men put an end to darkness, and search out to the farthest bound the ore in gloom and deep darkness.
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28:4 |
They open shafts in a valley away from where men live;they are forgotten by travelers, they hang afar from men, they swing to and fro.
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28:5 |
As for the earth, out of it comes bread;but underneath it is turned up as by fire.
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28:6 |
Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.
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28:7 |
'That path no bird of prey knows, and the falcon's eye has not seen it.
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28:8 |
The proud beasts have not trodden it;the lion has not passed over it.
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28:9 |
'Man puts his hand to the flinty rock, and overturns mountains by the roots.
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28:10 |
He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing.
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28:11 |
He binds up the streams so that they do not trickle, and the thing that is hid he brings forth to light.
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28:12 |
'But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
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28:13 |
Man does not know the way to it, and it is not found in the land of the living.
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28:14 |
The deep says, It is not in me,' and the sea says, It is not with me.'
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28:15 |
It cannot be gotten for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price.
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28:16 |
It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.
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28:17 |
Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
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28:18 |
No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;the price of wisdom is above pearls.
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28:19 |
The topaz of Ethiopia cannot compare with it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.
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28:20 |
'Whence then comes wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
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28:21 |
It is hid from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the birds of the air.
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28:22 |
Abaddon and Death say, We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.'
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28:23 |
'God understands the way to it, and he knows its place.
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28:24 |
For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under the heavens.
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28:25 |
When he gave to the wind its weight, and meted out the waters by measure;
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28:26 |
when he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder;
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28:27 |
then he saw it and declared it;he established it, and searched it out.
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28:28 |
And he said to man, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;and to depart from evil is understanding.''
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