1 εστιν γαρ αργυριω τοπος οθεν γινεται τοπος δε χρυσιω οθεν διηθειται | 1 Silver has its mines, and gold a place for refining. |
2 σιδηρος μεν γαρ εκ γης γινεται χαλκος δε ισα λιθω λατομειται | 2 Iron is extracted from the earth, the smelted rocks yield copper. |
3 ταξιν εθετο σκοτει και παν περας αυτος εξακριβαζεται λιθος σκοτια και σκια θανατου | 3 Man makes an end of darkness, to the utmost limit he digs the black rock in shadow dark as death. |
4 διακοπη χειμαρρου απο κονιας οι δε επιλανθανομενοι οδον δικαιαν ησθενησαν εκ βροτων | 4 Foreigners bore into ravines in unfrequented places, swinging suspended far from human beings. |
5 γη εξ αυτης εξελευσεται αρτος υποκατω αυτης εστραφη ωσει πυρ | 5 That earth from which bread comes is ravaged underground by fire. |
6 τοπος σαπφειρου οι λιθοι αυτης και χωμα χρυσιον αυτω | 6 There, the rocks have veins of sapphire and their dust contains gold. |
7 τριβος ουκ εγνω αυτην πετεινον και ου παρεβλεψεν αυτην οφθαλμος γυπος | 7 That is a path unknown to birds of prey, unseen by the eye of any vulture; |
8 ουκ επατησαν αυτην υιοι αλαζονων ου παρηλθεν επ' αυτης λεων | 8 a path not trodden by the lordly beasts, where no lion ever walked. |
9 εν ακροτομω εξετεινεν χειρα αυτου κατεστρεψεν δε εκ ριζων ορη | 9 Man attacks the flint, upturning mountains by their roots. |
10 δινας δε ποταμων ερρηξεν παν δε εντιμον ειδεν μου ο οφθαλμος | 10 He cuts canals through the rock, on the watch for anything precious. |
11 βαθη δε ποταμων ανεκαλυψεν εδειξεν δε εαυτου δυναμιν εις φως | 11 He explores the sources of rivers, bringing hidden things to light. |
12 η δε σοφια ποθεν ευρεθη ποιος δε τοπος εστιν της επιστημης | 12 But where does Wisdom come from? Where is Intel igence to be found? |
13 ουκ οιδεν βροτος οδον αυτης ουδε μη ευρεθη εν ανθρωποις | 13 No human being knows the way to her, she is not to be found on earth where they live. |
14 αβυσσος ειπεν ουκ εστιν εν εμοι και θαλασσα ειπεν ουκ εστιν μετ' εμου | 14 'She is not in me,' says the Abyss; 'Nor here,' replies the Sea. |
15 ου δωσει συγκλεισμον αντ' αυτης και ου σταθησεται αργυριον ανταλλαγμα αυτης | 15 She cannot be bought with solid gold, nor paid for with any weight of silver, |
16 και ου συμβασταχθησεται χρυσιω ωφιρ εν ονυχι τιμιω και σαπφειρω | 16 nor valued against gold of Ophir, precious agate or sapphire. |
17 ουκ ισωθησεται αυτη χρυσιον και υαλος και το αλλαγμα αυτης σκευη χρυσα | 17 Neither gold nor glass compares with her, for her, a vase of fine gold would be no exchange, |
18 μετεωρα και γαβις ου μνησθησεται και ελκυσον σοφιαν υπερ τα εσωτατα | 18 let alone coral or crystal: better go fishing for Wisdom than for pearls! |
19 ουκ ισωθησεται αυτη τοπαζιον αιθιοπιας χρυσιω καθαρω ου συμβασταχθησεται | 19 Topaz from Cush is worthless in comparison, and gold, even refined, is valueless. |
20 η δε σοφια ποθεν ευρεθη ποιος δε τοπος εστιν της συνεσεως | 20 But where does Wisdom come from? Where is Intel igence to be found? |
21 λεληθεν παντα ανθρωπον και απο πετεινων του ουρανου εκρυβη | 21 She cannot be seen by any living creature, she is hidden from the birds of the sky. |
22 η απωλεια και ο θανατος ειπαν ακηκοαμεν δε αυτης το κλεος | 22 Perdition and Death both say, 'We have heard only rumours of her.' |
23 ο θεος ευ συνεστησεν αυτης την οδον αυτος δε οιδεν τον τοπον αυτης | 23 God alone understands her path and knows where she is to be found. |
24 αυτος γαρ την υπ' ουρανον πασαν εφορα ειδως τα εν τη γη παντα α εποιησεν | 24 (For he sees to the remotest parts of the earth, and observes al that lies under heaven.) |
25 ανεμων σταθμον υδατος τε μετρα | 25 When he wil ed to give weight to the wind and measured out the waters with a gauge, |
26 οτε εποιησεν ουτως υετον ηριθμησεν και οδον εν τιναγματι φωνας | 26 when he imposed a law on the rain and mapped a route for thunderclaps to fol ow, |
27 τοτε ειδεν αυτην και εξηγησατο αυτην ετοιμασας εξιχνιασεν | 27 then he saw and evaluated her, looked her through and through, assessing her. |
28 ειπεν δε ανθρωπω ιδου η θεοσεβεια εστιν σοφια το δε απεχεσθαι απο κακων εστιν επιστημη | 28 Then he said to human beings, 'Wisdom? - that is fear of the Lord; Intel igence? - avoidance of evil.' |