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There are places were silver is molten, and where gold is tried:
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where iron is digged out of the ground, and stones resolved to metal.
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The darkness shall once come to an end, he can seek out the ground of all things: the stones, the dark, and the horrible shadow.
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With the river of water parteth he a sunder the strange people, that knoweth no good neighbourhead: such as are rude, unmannerly and boisterous:
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He bringeth food out of the earth, and that which is under, consumeth he with fire.
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There is found a place, whose stones are clean Sapphires, and where the clots of the earth are gold.
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There is a way also that the birds know not, that no vulture's eye hath seen:
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wherein the proud and high minded walk not, and where no lion cometh.
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There putteth he his hand upon the stony rocks, and overthroweth the mountains.
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Rivers flow out of the rocks, and look what is pleasant, his eye seeth it.
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Out of drops bringeth he great floods together, and the thing that is hid bringeth he to light.
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How cometh a man then by wisdom? Where is the place that men find understanding?
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Verily no man can tell how worthy a thing she is, neither is she found in the land of the living.
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The deep sayeth: she is not in me. The sea sayeth: she is not with me.
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She can not be gotten for the most fine gold, neither may the price of her be bought with any money.
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No wedges of gold of Ophir, no precious Onyx stones, no Sapphire may be compared unto her.
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No, neither gold nor Crystal, neither sweet odours nor golden plate.
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There is nothing so worthy, or so excellent, as once to be named unto her: for perfect wisdom goeth far beyond them all.
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The Topaz that cometh out of Inde, may in no wise be likened unto her: yea no manner of apparel how pleasant and fair soever it be.
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From where then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
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She is hid from the eyes of all men, yea and from the fouls of the air.
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Destruction and death say: We have heard tell of her with our ears.
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But God seeth her way, and knoweth her place.
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For he holdeth the ends of the world and looketh upon all that is under the heaven.
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When he weighed the winds, and measured the waters:
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When he set the rain in order, and gave the mighty floods a law.
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Then did he see her, then declared he her, prepared her and knew her.
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And unto man he said: Behold, to fear the Lord, |LORDE| is wisdom: and to forsake evil, is understanding.