For there is a place for the silver, whence it comes, and a place for the gold, whence it is refined. For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone. He has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone is darkness, and the shadow of death. There is a cutting off the torrent by reason of dust: so they that forget the right way are weakened; they are removed from amongst men. As for the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire. Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and her dust supplies man with gold. There is a path, the fowl has not known it, neither has the eye of the vulture seen it: neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it. He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp rock, and turned up mountains by the roots: and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers, and my eye has seen every precious thing. And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light. But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge? A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been revealed amongst men. The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me. One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it. Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire. Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it, neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange. Coral and fine pearl shall not be mentioned: but do you esteem wisdom above the most precious things. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equalled to it; it shall not be compared with pure gold. Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding? It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky. Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it. God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it. For he surveys the whole earth under heaven, knowing the things in the earth: all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water. When he made them, thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder. Then he saw it, and declared it: he prepared it and traced it out. And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.
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