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

2 I ron is taken from the earth, And copper is smelted from ore.

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

4 H e 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, from it comes bread, But underneath it is turned up as by fire;

6 I ts stones are the source of sapphires, And it contains gold dust.

7 T hat path no bird knows, Nor has the falcon’s eye seen it.

8 T he proud lions have not trodden it, Nor has the fierce lion passed over it.

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

10 H e cuts out channels in the rocks, And his eye sees every precious thing.

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

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

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

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

15 I t cannot be purchased for gold, Nor can silver be weighed for its price.

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

17 N either 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 quartz, For the price of wisdom is above rubies.

19 T he topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, Nor can it be valued in pure gold.

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

21 I t 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 a report about it with our ears.’

23 G od understands its way, And He knows its place.

24 F or He looks to the ends of the earth, And sees under the whole heavens,

25 T o establish a weight for the wind, And apportion the waters by measure.

26 W hen He made a law for the rain, And a path for the thunderbolt,

27 T hen He saw wisdom and declared it; He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out.

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