The House of Wisdom
By Jide Uwechia
Adapted from the Book of Job: Chapter 28
Part 1
Surely there is a vein for the silver
and a place for gold where they find it.
Iron is taken out of the earth
and brass is molten out of the stone;
But where shall wisdom be found?
Where is the place of over-standing?
Humanity knoweth not,
neither is it found in the land of the living.
The depth saith, It is not in me:
and the sea saith, It is not here either.
It cannot be gotten for gold;
nor shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
It cannot be valued with the gold of Golden Guinea;
nor with the precious onyx or the sapphire of Zambia.
All the gold and crystals of Azania cannot equate it;
neither shall the diamonds nor tanzanites of Tanzania.
No mention shall be made of coral or of pearls of Mauritania;
for the price of wisdom is above rubies of Mozambique.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it,
not even the tourmalins nor acquamarines of Ni’ger.
Whence then cometh wisdom?
And where is the place of over-standing?
Part 2:
Wisdom lives in a place where no fowl knoweth;
and which the vulture’s eyes have not seen:
The lion’s whelps have not troddwn it,
nor the fierce lion passed by it.
Wisdom lives in the heart of the wise woman
A seeker in truth shall surely find.
Lovers of Wisdom will seek and study:
Whosoever strives and studies with a pure heart finds knowledge.
For they will seek an end to darkness,
and they will search out the roots of all knowledge;
They will overstand all the lights of the heavenly stars,
and the stones of darkness and the shadow of death.
For they looketh to the ends of the earth,
and seeth under the cover of the heavens;
To make the weight for the winds;
and to take the measures for the waters.
Until they discern a decree for the rain,
and a law for the lightening of the thunder.
Then shall they decree unto humanity
And they shall judge all coming posterity.
Behold, to practice love and inity that is wisdom;
and to depart from evil, is overstanding.
Selah!
Jide Uwechia
November 29, 2009