1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it . 2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone. 3 He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death. 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. 5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire. 6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold. 7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen: 8 The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it. 9 He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots. 10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing. 11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light. 12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? 13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me. 15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. 16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. 17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. 18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies. 19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? 21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air. 22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears. 23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. 24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; 25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure. 26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder: 27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out. 28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
Par gudrību un atziņu
1 Ir vietas, kur sudrabu rod,
kur zeltu tīra no sārņiem,
2 dzelzi no pīšļiem rok
un iežus pārkausē varā.
3 Cilvēks tumsai robežas sprauž,
izlodā malu malas,
iežus, kas tumsībā un nāves ēnā,
4 raktuves lauž, kur ļaužu nav,
kur nav minusi kāja, –
šūpojas virvēs, kur neviena nav!
5 Zeme, no kuras maize nāk,
apakšā ugunīs mutuļo,
6 zemes akmeņos safīri gul,
zelta smiltis ir tur.
7 Ērglis nezina taku turp,
nemana tos vanaga acs,
8 nemīņā tos lepnības dēli ,
nestaigā pār tiem lauva.
9 Pie krama liek cilvēks roku
un izceļ ar saknēm kalnus,
10 klintīs tas gultnes izcērt,
visus dārgumus redz tā acs.
11 Straumes nosien, lai neasaro,
apslēpto iznes gaismā!
12 Bet gudrība – kur to rast?
Un saprašana – kur tā mīt?
13 Nezin cilvēks ceļu pie tās,
nevar to rast dzīvo zemē.
14 Dzīle saka: manī tās nav!
Un dzelme saka: nav pie manis!
15 Nevar to atsvērt tīrā zeltā,
sudrabā nevar atmērīt,
16 par Ofīra kalumiem to nedabūt,
nedz dārgiem oniksiem un safīriem,
17 nestāv tai līdzās ne zelts, ne stikls,
nevar to iemīt pret zelta trauku.
18 Koraļļi, kristāls – kas piemin tos? –
par pērlēm gudrība vērtīgāka!
19 Nestāv tai līdzās pat Kūšas topāzi,
pat tīrā zeltā nevar to vērtēt!
20 Gudrība – no kurienes tā,
un saprašana – kur tā mīt?
21 Tā noslēpta visu dzīvo acīm,
no debesu putniem noglabāta.
22 Bezdibenis un nāve saka:
tik dzirdējuši esam par to!
23 Dievs saprot ceļu pie tās,
viņš vien zina tās vietu,
24 jo viņš līdz zemes malai redz,
skata visu, kas apakš debess!
25 Kad viņš vējam piešķīra svaru
un ūdenim nolika mēru,
26 kad viņš lietum likumu lēma
un ceļu pērkona dārdiem,
27 tad viņš skatīja to un pasludināja,
iedibināja to un pārbaudīja
28 un sacīja cilvēkam:
redzi, bijāt Kungu ir gudrība,
un vairīties ļauna ir saprašana!”
