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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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, from it comes bread, But underneath it is turned up as by fire;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 value, Nor is it 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 says, ‘It is not in me’; And 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 I t cannot be purchased for gold, Nor can silver be weighed for its price.

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

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

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

17 N either gold nor crystal can equal it, Nor can it be exchanged for jewelry 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 N o mention shall be made of coral or quartz, For the price of wisdom is above 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 equal it, Nor can it be valued in pure gold.

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

20 “ From where then does wisdom come? And 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, And concealed from the birds of the air.

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

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

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

23 G od understands its way, 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 under the whole heavens,

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

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

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

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

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

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

then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and 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 unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.