12
You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom.
13
If you had walked in the way of God, you would be living in peace forever.
14
Learn where there is wisdom, where there is strength, where there is understanding, so that you may at the same time discern where there is length of days, and life, where there is light for the eyes, and peace.
15
Who has found her place? And who has entered her storehouses?
16
Where are the rulers of the nations, and those who lorded it over the animals on earth;
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those who made sport of the birds of the air, and who hoarded up silver and gold in which people trust, and there is no end to their getting;
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those who schemed to get silver, and were anxious, but there is no trace of their works?
19
They have vanished and gone down to Hades, and others have arisen in their place.
20
Later generations have seen the light of day, and have lived upon the earth; but they have not learned the way to knowledge, nor understood her paths, nor laid hold of her.
21
Their descendants have strayed far from her way.
22
She has not been heard of in Canaan, or seen in Teman;
23
the descendants of Hagar, who seek for understanding on the earth, the merchants of Merran and Teman, the story-tellers and the seekers for understanding, have not learned the way to wisdom, or given thought to her paths.
24
O Israel, how great is the house of God, how vast the territory that he possesses!
25
It is great and has no bounds; it is high and immeasurable.
26
The giants were born there, who were famous of old, great in stature, expert in war.
27
God did not choose them, or give them the way to knowledge;
28
so they perished because they had no wisdom, they perished through their folly.
29
Who has gone up into heaven, and taken her, and brought her down from the clouds?
30
Who has gone over the sea, and found her, and will buy her for pure gold?
31
No one knows the way to her, or is concerned about the path to her.
32
But the one who knows all things knows her, he found her by his understanding. The one who prepared the earth for all time filled it with four-footed creatures;