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28:1 Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine; 28:2 Iron from the dust is taken, And [from] the firm stone brass. 28:3 An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade. 28:4 A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered. 28:5 The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire. 28:6 A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it hath dust of gold. 28:7 A path -- not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite, 28:8 Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion. 28:9 Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains. 28:10 Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen. 28:11 From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out [to] light. 28:12 And the wisdom -- whence is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding? 28:13 Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living. 28:14 The deep hath said, `It [is] not in me,' And the sea hath said, `It is not with me.' 28:15 Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed -- its price. 28:16 It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire, 28:17 Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor [is] its exchange a vessel of fine gold. 28:18 Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom [is] above rubies. 28:19 Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued. 28:20 And the wisdom -- whence doth it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding? 28:21 It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden. 28:22 Destruction and death have said: `With our ears we have heard its fame.' 28:23 God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place. 28:24 For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see, 28:25 To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure. 28:26 In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices, 28:27 Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out, 28:28 And He saith to man: -- `Lo, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.'