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 the silver, and a place for gold where they refine it.

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

Iron is taken out of the dust, and bronze is melted out of the stone.

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

He set a border unto the darkness, and unto every perfect work that he made, he placed a stone of darkness and 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.

The river breaks forth next to the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot, that were higher than man, are gone away.

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

Land out of which bread comes forth, and underneath it shall be as if it were converted in fire.

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

A place where its stones shall be sapphires; and it shall have dust of gold.

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

A path which no fowl knows and which the vulture’s eye has never seen;

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

the young of the proud have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by it.

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

He put his hand upon the flint and overturned the mountains from the root.

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

He cut rivers out of the rocks; and his eye saw every precious thing.

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

He detained the rivers in their source and caused that which was hid to be brought to light.

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

But where shall 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 never knew its price; neither 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 saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, 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 gotten for gold, neither shall 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 with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx or the sapphire.

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

Gold cannot equal it, nor can diamond; neither shall it be exchanged for vessels 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 of pearls; for wisdom is better than precious stones.

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

The emerald of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

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

¶ Where then does wisdom come from? 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.

Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept concealed from every fowl of the heaven.

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

Hell and death say, We have heard its fame with our ears.

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

God understands its way, and he alone knows its place.

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

For he looks unto the ends of the earth and sees under the whole heaven,

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

To make a weight for the wind and to supply water 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 way for the lightning of the thunders.

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

Then he saw it and counted it; he prepared it and also 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 unto man he said, Behold, that the fear of the Lord, is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.