Book of Job - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 844
The Psalms, Solomon and Sacred Writers
27-18
28-43
18
2I
22
28
I0 II 12 16 18 20 2K 22 JOB. And the virtuous inherit his wealth. He builds up his house like a moth, Or a watchman erecting a hut, He lies down without loss and is rich, When he opens his eyes, all is gone! The terrors rush on him like streams, He is ruined by thieves in the night. The east wind will rise, and he flies, And the whirlwind will sweep him from home- It unsparingly sweeps upon him From its powerful blast he must fly; After him it will clap with its hands And whistle him out of his home l But for silver there yet is a vein And a place where they wash out the gold : And iron is obtained from the dust, And copper is smelted from stone; A mine is sunk down to the dark And its secrets are fully explored; In the black rock and shadow of death A shaft is sunk down to descend Without any rests for the feet, The men hanging on to a swing Who bring from earth’s bowels their bread : Whose basement they tear up with fire, Whose rocks are the sapphire's home. In its dust is discovered the gold, In places unknown to the hawk, Untraced by the vulture’s keen eye. Wild beasts would not travel that road, Nor the lion would venture to go! Yet man lays his hand to the flint, He breaks up the roots of the hill; He hews out his drives in the rocks, And his eye searches everything rare. He stops ol? the trickeling streams, And he brings out the hidden to light. But wisdom’s home where can he find, Or where is the dwelling of sense? Its origin man cannot know Nor find in the land where we live. With me it is not l ’ It rests not in mel Nor for it can bullion be paid; Nor payment in silver can buy! Nor the gravelly nuggets be weighed, Or the brightest of diamonds and gems. Unequalled by iewels of gold, And unmatched by the glittering stone; Nor can onyx and crystal be named Or wisdom be purchased by pearls! The topaz of Kush equals not And the chasings on gold cannot buy l From where then can wisdom be got, And where is the home of good sense, lf she hides from the eyes of all life, And is hid from the birds of the skies? Destruction and Death both declare, We have heard of her fame with our ears! But Gon, only, has looked on her ways And He alone knows of her home l 844
