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,