1 “ Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.

2 I ron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.

3 M an sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.

4 H e breaks open a shaft away from where people live. They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.

5 A s for the earth, out of it comes bread; Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

6 S apphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.

7 T hat path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon’s eye seen it.

8 T he proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.

9 H e puts his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.

10 H e cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.

11 H e binds the streams that they don’t trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings out to light.

12 “ But where shall wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?

13 M an doesn’t know its price; Neither is it found in the land of the living.

14 T he deep says, ‘It isn’t in me.’ The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’

15 I t can’t be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for its price.

16 I t can’t be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

17 G old and glass can’t equal it, neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

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

19 T he 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?

21 S eeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky.

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

23 “ 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 sky.

25 H e establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures out the waters by measure.

26 W hen he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder;

27 t hen he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.

28 T o man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”