1 S urely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold which they refine;

Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;

2 I ron is taken out of the dust, and copper is molten out of the stone.

Iron from the dust is taken, And the firm stone brass.

3 p utteth an end to the darkness, and exploreth to the utmost limit, the stones of darkness and of the shadow of death.

An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade.

4 H e openeth a shaft far from the inhabitants: forgotten of the foot, they hang suspended; away below men they hover.

A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.

5 A s for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as by fire;

The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire.

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

A place of the sapphire its stones, And it hath dust of gold.

7 I t is a path no bird of prey knoweth, and the vulture's eye hath not seen it;

A path -- not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,

8 T he proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed over it.

Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.

9 p utteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock, he overturneth the mountains by the root.

Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.

10 H e cutteth out channels in the rocks, and his eye seeth every precious thing.

Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.

11 H e bindeth the streams that they drip not, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.

From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out light.

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

And the wisdom -- whence is it found? And where this, the place of understanding?

13 M an knoweth not the value thereof; and it is not found in the land of the living.

Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.

14 T he deep saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not with me.

The deep hath said, `It not in me,' And the sea hath said, `It is not with me.'

15 C hoice gold cannot be given for it, nor silver be weighed for its price.

Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed -- its price.

16 I t is not set in the balance with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, and the sapphire.

It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,

17 G old and glass cannot be compared to it, nor vessels of fine gold be its exchange.

Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor its exchange a vessel of fine gold.

18 C orals and crystal are no more remembered; yea, the acquisition of wisdom is above rubies.

Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom above rubies.

19 T he topaz of Ethiopia shall not be compared to it, neither shall it be set in the balance with pure gold.

Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.

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

And the wisdom -- whence doth it come? And where this, the place of understanding?

21 F or it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the fowl of the heavens.

It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden.

22 D estruction and death say, We have heard its report with our ears.

Destruction and death have said: `With our ears we have heard its fame.'

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

God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.

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

For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,

25 I n making a weight for the wind, and meting out the waters by measure,

To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure.

26 I n appointing a statute for the rain, and a way for the thunder's flash:

In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,

27 T hen did he see it, and declare it; he established it, yea, and searched it out;

Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out,

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

And He saith to man: -- `Lo, fear of the Lord, that wisdom, And to turn from evil understanding.'