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

“Surely there is a mine for silver And a place where they refine gold.

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

“Iron is taken from the dust, And copper is smelted from rock.

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

“ Man puts an end to darkness, And to the farthest limit he searches out The rock in gloom and deep shadow.

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.

“He sinks a shaft far from habitation, Forgotten by the foot; They hang and swing to and fro far from men.

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

“The earth, from it comes food, And underneath it is turned up as fire.

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

“Its rocks are the source of sapphires, And its dust contains gold.

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

“The path no bird of prey knows, Nor has the falcon’s eye caught sight of it.

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

“The proud beasts 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.

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

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

“He hews out channels through the rocks, And his eye sees anything precious.

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

“He dams up the streams from flowing, And what is hidden he brings out to the light. The Search for Wisdom Is Harder

12 “ But where can 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 does not know its value, Nor 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 deep says, ‘It is not in me’; And the sea says, ‘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 purchased for gold, Nor can silver be weighed for its price.

“ Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it, Nor can silver be weighed as its price.

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

“It 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.

“ Gold or glass cannot equal it, Nor can it be exchanged for articles of fine gold.

18 N o mention shall be made of coral or quartz, For the price of wisdom is above rubies.

“Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned; And the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls.

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

“The 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?

“ Where then does wisdom come from? 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.

“Thus it is hidden from the eyes of all living And concealed from the birds of the sky.

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

“ Abaddon and Death say, ‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’

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

“ God 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,

“For He looks to the ends of the earth And sees everything under the heavens.

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

“When He imparted weight to the wind And meted out the waters by measure,

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

When He set a limit for the rain And a course for the thunderbolt,

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

Then He saw it and declared it; He established it and also 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.’”

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