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

Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold where they refine it.

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

Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from the stone ore.

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

Man sets an end to darkness, and he searches out the farthest bounds for the ore buried in gloom and deep 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.

Men break open shafts away from where people sojourn, in places forgotten by foot; and, hanging afar from men, they swing or flit to and fro.

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

As for the earth, out of it comes bread, but underneath there is blasting, turning it up as by fire.

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

Its stones are the bed of sapphires; it holds dust of gold.

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

That path no bird of prey knows, and the falcon’s eye has not seen it.

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

The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed over it.

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

Man puts forth his hand upon the flinty rock; he overturns the mountains by the roots.

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

He cuts out channels and passages among the rocks; and 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.

binds the streams so that they do not trickle, and the thing that is hidden he brings forth to light.

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

But where shall Wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?

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

Man knows not the price of it; 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.’

The deep says, is not in me; and the sea says, It is not with me.

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

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

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

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

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

Gold and glass cannot equal, nor can it be exchanged for jewels or vessels of fine gold.

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

No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; for the possession of Wisdom is even above rubies or pearls.

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

The topaz of Ethiopia cannot compare with it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.

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

From where then does Wisdom come? And 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.

It is hidden from the eyes of all living, and knowledge of it is withheld from the birds of the heavens.

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

Abaddon (the place of destruction) and Death say, We have heard the report of it with our ears.

23 “ God understands its way, and he knows its place.

God understands the way and He knows the place of it.

24 F or he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.

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

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

When He gave to the wind weight or pressure and allotted the waters 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 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.

Then He saw 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.’”

But to man He said, Behold, the reverential and worshipful fear of the Lord—that is Wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.