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¹ Silver hath beginnings of its veins, and gold hath a place wherein it is melted.² Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone melted with heat is turned into brass.³ 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 The flood divideth from the people that are on their journey, those whom the food of the needy man hath forgotten, and who cannot be come at.⁵ The land, out of which bread grew in its place, hath been overturned with fire.⁶ The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and the clods of it are gold.⁷ The bird hath not known the path, neither hath the eye of the vulture beheld it.⁸ The children of the merchants have not trodden it, neither hath the lioness passed by it.⁹ He hath stretched forth his hand to the flint, he hath overturned mountains from the roots.¹⁰ In the rocks he hath cut out rivers, and his eye hath seen every precious thing.¹¹ The depths also of rivers he hath searched, and hidden things he hath brought forth to light.¹² But where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?¹³ Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of them that live in delights.

¹⁴ The depth saith: It is not in me: and the sea saith: It is not with me.¹⁵ The finest gold shall not purchase it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.¹⁶ It shall not be compared with the dyed colours of India, or with the most precious stone sardonyx, or the sapphire.¹⁷ Gold or crystal cannot equal it, neither shall any vessels of gold be changed for it.¹⁸ High and eminent things shall not be mentioned in comparison of it: but wisdom is drawn out of secret places.¹⁹ The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equal to it, neither shall it be compared to the cleanest dyeing.

²⁰ Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?²¹ It is hid from the eyes of all living, and the fowls of the air know it not.²² Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard the fame thereof.²³ God understandeth the way of it, and he knoweth the place thereof.²⁴ For he beholdeth the ends of the world: and looketh on all things that are under heaven.²⁵ Who made a weight for the winds, and weighed the waters by measure.²⁶ When he gave a law for the rain, and a way for the sounding storms.²⁷ Then he saw it, and declared, and prepared, and searched it.²⁸ And he said to man: Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom: and to depart from evil, is understanding.