Job, Chapter 28
(1) Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it. (2) Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone. (3) He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death. (4) The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men. (5) As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire. (6) The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold. (7) There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen: (8) The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it. (9) He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots. (10) He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing. (11) He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light. (12) But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? (13) Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living. (14) The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me. (15) It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. (16) It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. (17) The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. (18) No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies. (19) The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold. (20) Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? (21) Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air. (22) Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears. (23) God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. (24) For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; (25) To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure. (26) When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder: (27) Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out. (28) And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
A Random Prayer...
Blessing of Horses and other Draft Animals
The animals praise and glorify God inasmuch as they assist man and serve him. In their own way they assist man in attaining his ultimate goal, and for that reason the Church blesses them. In her blessing the church commends these animals to St. Anthony the hermit, who from the earliest times was regarded as the patron of farmers and animal breeders. The following prayers can be used when the animals are placed in harness for the first time. O God, our refuge and strength, the source of our devotion, hear the devout prayers of the Church, grant that what we ask in faith we may obtain in fact. Almighty, eternal God, who didst test glorious Saint Anthony the hermit in many temptations and didst grant him to go forth untouched by the seductions of this world: grant us Thy servants to make progress in virtue by his example and to be freed from the dangers of this life by his merits and intercession. May these animals, O Lord, receive Thy blessing; may they be sound in body and, by the intercession of Saint Anthony the hermit, may they be preserved from all evil. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Translated by Most Reverend J. H. Schlarman Bishop of Peoria
more prayers...