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 where gold is refined.

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

Iron is taken from the earth, And copper is smelted from 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 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 where people live. They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.

He 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, out of it comes bread; Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

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

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

Its stones are the source of sapphires, And it contains gold dust.

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

That path no bird knows, Nor has the falcon’s eye seen it.

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

The proud lions 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.

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

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

He cuts out channels in 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.

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

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

“But where can 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 does not know its value, Nor 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, ‘It 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 purchased for gold, Nor can 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.

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

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

Neither 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 of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.

No mention shall be made of coral or quartz, For 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.

The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal 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 concealed from the birds of the air.

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

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

23 “ God 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 sky.

For He looks to the ends of the earth, And sees under the whole heavens,

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

To establish a weight for the wind, And apportion 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 law for the rain, And a path for the thunderbolt,

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

Then He saw wisdom and declared it; He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out.

28 T o man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. 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.’”