1 S urely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.

“Surely there is a mine for silver, And a place where gold is refined.

2 I ron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.

Iron is taken from the earth, And copper is smelted from ore.

3 H e setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.

Man puts an end to darkness, And searches every recess For ore in the darkness and the shadow of death.

4 T he flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.

He breaks open a shaft away from people; In places forgotten by feet They hang far away from men; They swing to and fro.

5 A s for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.

As for the earth, from it comes bread, But underneath it is turned up as by fire;

6 T he stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.

Its stones are the source of sapphires, And it contains gold dust.

7 T here is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen:

That path no bird knows, Nor has the falcon’s eye seen it.

8 t he lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.

The proud lions have not trodden it, Nor has the fierce lion passed over it.

9 H e putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.

He puts his hand on the flint; He overturns the mountains at the roots.

10 H e cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.

He cuts out channels in the rocks, And his eye sees every precious thing.

11 H e bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.

He dams up the streams from trickling; What is hidden he brings forth to light.

12 B ut where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

“But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?

13 M an knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

Man does not know its value, Nor is it found in the land of the living.

14 T he depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

The deep says, ‘It is not in me’; And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

15 I t cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

It cannot be purchased for gold, Nor can silver be weighed for its price.

16 I t cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, In precious onyx or sapphire.

17 T he gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

Neither gold nor crystal can equal it, Nor can it be exchanged for jewelry of fine gold.

18 N o mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

No mention shall be made of coral or quartz, For the price of wisdom is above rubies.

19 T he topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, Nor can it be valued in pure gold.

20 W hence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

“From where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?

21 S eeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

It is hidden from the eyes of all living, And concealed from the birds of the air.

22 D estruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a report about it with our ears.’

23 G od understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

God understands its way, And He knows its place.

24 F or he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

For He looks to the ends of the earth, And sees under the whole heavens,

25 t o make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

To establish a weight for the wind, And apportion the waters by measure.

26 W hen he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

When He made a law for the rain, And a path for the thunderbolt,

27 t hen did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

Then He saw wisdom and declared it; He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out.

28 A nd unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’”