| Chapter 28 |
1 | Silver hath beginnings of its veins, and gold hath a place wherein it is melted.
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2 | Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone melted with heat is turned into brass.
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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.
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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.
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5 | The land, out of which bread grew in its place, hath been overturned with fire.
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6 | The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and the clods of it are gold.
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7 | The bird hath not known the path, neither hath the eye of the vulture beheld it.
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8 | The children of the merchants have not trodden it, neither hath the lioness passed by it.
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9 | He hath stretched forth his hand to the flint, he hath overturned mountains from the roots.
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10 | In the rocks he hath cut out rivers, and his eye hath seen every precious thing.
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11 | The depths also of rivers he hath searched, and hidden things he hath brought forth to light.
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12 | But where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?
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13 | Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of them that live in delights.
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14 | The depth saith: It is not in me: and the sea saith: It is not with me.
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15 | The finest gold shall not purchase it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it
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16 | It shall not be compared with the dyed colours of India, or with the most precious stone sardonyx, or the sapphire.
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17 | Gold or crystal cannot equal it, neither shall any vessels of gold be changed for it.
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18 | High and eminent things shall not be mentioned in comparison of it: but wisdom is drawn out of secret places.
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19 | The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equal to it, neither shall it be compared to the cleanest dyeing.
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20 | Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
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21 | It is hid from the eyes of all living. and the fowls of the air know it not.
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22 | Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard the fame thereof.
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23 | God understandeth the way of it, and he knoweth the place thereof.
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24 | For he beholdeth the ends of the world: and looketh on all things that are under heaven.
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25 | Who made a weight for the winds and weighed the waters by measure.
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26 | When he gave a law for the rain, and a way for the sounding storms.
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27 | Then he saw it, and declared, and prepared, and searched it.
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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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