¹ Siluer hath bigynnyngis of his veynes; and a place is to gold, in which it is wellid togidere.

² Irun is takun fro erthe, and a stoon resolued, `ethir meltid, bi heete, is turned in to money.

³ God hath set tyme to derknessis, and he biholdith the ende of alle thingis.

⁴ Also a stronde departith a stoon of derknesse, and the schadewe of deth, fro the puple goynge in pilgrymage; it departith tho hillis, whiche the foot of a nedi man foryat, and hillis with out weie.

⁵ The erthe, wher of breed cam forth in his place, is destried bi fier.

⁶ The place of saphir ben stoonys therof, and the clottis therof ben gold.

⁷ A brid knewe not the weie, and the iye of a vultur, ethir rauenouse brid, bihelde it not.

⁸ The sones of marchauntis tretiden not on it, and a lyonesse passide not therbi.

⁹ God stretchide forth his hond to a flynt; he distriede hillis fro the rootis.

¹⁰ He hewide doun ryuers in stoonys; and his iye siy al precious thing.

¹¹ And he souyte out the depthis of floodis; and he brouyte forth hid thingis in to liyt.

¹² But where is wisdom foundun, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?

¹³ A man noot the prijs therof, nether it is foundun in the lond of men lyuynge swetli, `ether delicatli.

¹⁴ The depthe of watris seith, It is not in me; and the see spekith, It is not with me.

¹⁵ Gold ful cleene schal not be youun for wisdom, nether siluer schal be weied in the chaungyng therof.

¹⁶ It schal not be comparysound to the died colours of Iynde, not to the moost preciouse stoon of sardius, nether to saphir.

¹⁷ Nether gold, nether glas schal be maad euene worth therto;

¹⁸ and hiye and fer apperynge vessels of gold schulen not be chaungid for wisdom, nether schulen be had in mynde in comparisoun therof. Forsothe wisdom is drawun of pryuy thingis;

¹⁹ topasie of Ethiope schal not be maad euene worth to wisdom, and moost preciouse diyngis schulen not be set togidere in prijs, `ether comparisound, therto.

²⁰ Therfor wherof cometh wisdom, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?

²¹ It is hid fro the iyen of alle lyuynge men; also it is hid fro briddis of heuene.

²² Perdicioun and deeth seiden, With oure eeris we herden the fame therof.

²³ God vndurstondith the weye therof, and he knowith the place therof.

²⁴ For he biholdith the endis of the world, and biholdith alle thingis that ben vndur heuene.

²⁵ `Which God made weiyte to wyndis, and weiede watris in mesure.

²⁶ Whanne he settide lawe to reyn, and weie to tempestis sownynge;

²⁷ thanne he siy wisdom, and telde out, and made redi, and souyte out.

²⁸ And he seide to man, Lo! the drede of the Lord, thilke is wisdom; and to go awei fro yuel, is vndurstondyng.