| Chapter 28 |
1 |
Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold [where] they fine [it].
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2 |
Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass [is] molten [out of] the stone.
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3 |
He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
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4 |
The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; [even the waters] forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
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5 |
[As for] the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
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6 |
The stones of it [are] the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.
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7 |
[There is] a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:
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8 |
The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
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9 |
He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
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10 |
He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
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11 |
He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and [the thing that is] hid bringeth he forth to light.
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12 |
But where shall wisdom 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 the living.
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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 |
It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed [for] the price thereof.
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16 |
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
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17 |
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it [shall not be for] jewels of fine gold.
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18 |
No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom [is] above rubies.
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19 |
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
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20 |
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where [is] the place of understanding?
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21 |
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
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22 |
Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
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23 |
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
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24 |
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, [and] seeth under the whole heaven;
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25 |
To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
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26 |
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
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27 |
Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
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28 |
And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom; and to depart from evil [is] understanding.
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