| 1 | Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold which they refine; |
| 2 | Iron is taken out of the dust, and copper is molten out of the stone. |
| 3 | [Man] putteth an end to the darkness, and exploreth to the utmost limit, the stones of darkness and of the shadow of death. |
| 4 | He openeth a shaft far from the inhabitants [of the earth]: forgotten of the foot, they hang suspended; away below men they hover. |
| 5 | As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as by fire; |
| 6 | The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold. |
| 7 | It is a path no bird of prey knoweth, and the vulture's eye hath not seen it; |
| 8 | The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed over it. |
| 9 | [Man] putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock, he overturneth the mountains by the root. |
| 10 | He cutteth out channels in the rocks, and his eye seeth every precious thing. |
| 11 | He bindeth the streams that they drip not, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light. |
| 12 | But wisdom, where shall it be found? and where is the place of understanding? |
| 13 | Man knoweth not the value thereof; and it is not found in the land of the living. |
| 14 | The deep saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not with me. |
| 15 | Choice gold cannot be given for it, nor silver be weighed for its price. |
| 16 | It is not set in the balance with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, and the sapphire. |
| 17 | Gold and glass cannot be compared to it, nor vessels of fine gold be its exchange. |
| 18 | Corals and crystal are no more remembered; yea, the acquisition of wisdom is above rubies. |
| 19 | The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be compared to it, neither shall it be set in the balance with pure gold. |
| 20 | Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? |
| 21 | For it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the fowl of the heavens. |
| 22 | Destruction and death say, We have heard its report with our ears. |
| 23 | God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth its place: |
| 24 | For he looketh to the ends of the earth, he seeth under the whole heaven. |
| 25 | In making a weight for the wind, and meting out the waters by measure, |
| 26 | In appointing a statute for the rain, and a way for the thunder's flash: |
| 27 | Then did he see it, and declare it; he established it, yea, and searched it out; |
| 28 | And unto man he said, Lo, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. |