Job · Chapter 28

[ edit] Siluer haþ þe principlis of his veynes; and to gold is a place, in þe whiche it is blowe togidere. Iren fro þe erþe is taken, and a ſton loſid bi hete, in to bras is turned. Tyme he putte to dercneſſis, and þe ende of alle þingus he beholdeþ. Alſo þe ſtrem deuydeþ þe ſton of duſcneſſe, and þe ſhadewe of deþ, fro þe puple pilgrimagende; hem, whom þe foot of þe nedi man forȝat, in to men wiþoute weies. Þe erþe, of þe whiche bred cam of in his place, wiþ fyr is turned vpſodoun. Place of a ſafyr is ſtones, and þe gluggis of hym gold. Þe brid vnknewȝ þe ſty, ne þe eȝe of þe gripe beheeld it. Þe ſones of marchaundis treeden it not, ne þe leouneſſe þurȝ paſſide bi it.

To þe flint he ſtraȝte out his hond; he turnede vpſodoun fro þe rootis þe hillis. In ſtones riueres he heewȝ out; and alle precious þing ſaȝ his eȝe. Þe depe þingus alſo of flodis he enſerchide; and hid þingus he broȝte in to liȝt. Wiſdam forſoþe, wher is it founde, and what is þe place of vndirſtonding? A man wot not þe pris of it, ne it is founde in þe lond of ſweteli lyuende men. Þe depneſſis of watris ſeiþ, It is not in me; and þe ſe ſpekeþ, It is not wiþ me. Shynende gold ſhal not be ȝiue for it, ne ſiluer ſhal be peiſid in þe chaffaring of it. It ſhal not be compariſound to þe ſteyned coloures of Ynde, ne to þe moſt precious ſardenyk ſton, or ſafyr.

Ne ſhal be maad euene to it gold, or glas; ne for it ſhul be chaungid veſſelis of gold, heȝe and ouerſtondende, ne ſhul be remembrid in þe compariſoun of it. Wiſdam forſoþe is drawen of hidde þingis; ne þer ſhal be maad euene to it topaſie of Eþiope, ne to þe moſt clene ſteynyng ſhal be compariſound. Whennes þanne wiſdam ſhal come, and what is þe place of vnderſtonding? It is hid fro þe eȝen of alle liuende men; alſo to þe foulis of heuene it is vnknowen. Perdicioun and deþ ſeiden, Wiþ oure eris wee han herd þe fame of it. God vnderſtant þe weie of it, and he knewȝ þe place of it. He forſoþe lookeþ þe endis of þe world; and alle þingus þat ben vnder heuene he beholdeþ.

Þat made to windis peis, and watris heeng vp in meſure. Whan he putte to reynes lawe, and weie to ſounende tempeſtis; þanne he ſaȝ it, and tolde out, and made redi beforn, and enſerchide. And he ſeide to man, Lo! þe drede of God, it is wiſdam; and to gon awei fro euel, vnderſtonding.