1 “ For sure there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is made pure.

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

2 I ron is taken out of the earth. And copper is melted from the rock.

Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.

3 M an looks into the deepest darkness. And he goes out to the farthest part of the earth to look for rocks in the dark places.

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

4 M en break open deep holes far from where people live, forgotten by travelers. In the holes they hang and move from side to side far from men.

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

5 A s for the earth, out of it comes food. But below, it is turned up as fire.

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

6 S apphires come from its rocks and its dust has gold.

The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.

7 N o bird who eats meat knows that path. The falcon’s eye has not seen it.

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

8 T he proud animals have not stepped on it. The strong lion has not passed over it.

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

9 M an puts his hand on the hard rock. He turns the mountains over at its base.

He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.

10 H e makes a path through the rocks, and his eyes see everything of much worth.

He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.

11 H e stops rivers from flowing. And he brings to light what is hidden.

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

12 “ But where can 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 does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living.

Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

14 T he deep waters say, ‘It is not in me.’ The sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

15 P ure gold cannot be traded for it and it cannot be bought with silver.

It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

16 I t cannot be compared in worth to the gold of Ophir, onyx of much worth, or sapphire.

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

17 G old or glass cannot be compared to it in worth and it cannot be traded for objects of fine gold.

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

18 T here is no need to say anything about coral or crystal because wisdom cannot be paid for with rubies.

No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

19 T he topaz of Ethiopia cannot be compared to it in worth and it cannot be compared with the worth of pure gold.

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

20 W here then does wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding?

Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

21 I t is hidden from the eyes of all living. It is hidden from the birds of the sky.

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

22 T he Place That Destroys and Death say, ‘We have only heard about it with our ears.’

Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

23 “ God understands the way to wisdom, and He knows its place.

God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

24 F or He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under the heavens.

For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

25 H e gave weight to the wind. He decided how much water would be in the sea.

to make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

26 H e decided how much rain would fall, and the path for the lightning.

When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

27 T hen He saw wisdom and made it known. He made it last, and found out all about it.

then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

28 A nd He said to man, ‘See, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. And to turn away from sin is understanding.’”

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