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. |