| 1 | Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out. |
| 2 | Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire. |
| 3 | Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark. |
| 4 | He makes a deep mine far away from those living in the light of day; when they go about on the earth, they have no knowledge of those who are under them, who are hanging far from men, twisting from side to side on a cord. |
| 5 | As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire. |
| 6 | Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold. |
| 7 | No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it. |
| 8 | The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way. |
| 9 | Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots. |
| 10 | He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value. |
| 11 | He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light. |
| 12 | But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge? |
| 13 | Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living. |
| 14 | The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me. |
| 15 | Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it. |
| 16 | It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire. |
| 17 | Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold. |
| 18 | There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls. |
| 19 | The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold. |
| 20 | From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge? |
| 21 | For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air. |
| 22 | Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears. |
| 23 | God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place; |
| 24 | For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven. |
| 25 | When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters; |
| 26 | When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames; |
| 27 | Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely. |
| 28 | And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge. |