| | 1 | "There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. | |
| | 2 | Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore. | |
| | 3 | Man puts an end to the darkness; he searches the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness. | |
| | 4 | Far from where people dwell he cuts a shaft, in places forgotten by the foot of man; far from men he dangles and sways. | |
| | 5 | The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire; | |
| | 6 | sapphires come from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold. | |
| | 7 | No bird of prey knows that hidden path, no falcon's eye has seen it. | |
| | 8 | Proud beasts do not set foot on it, and no lion prowls there. | |
| | 9 | Man's hand assaults the flinty rock and lays bare the roots of the mountains. | |
| | 10 | He tunnels through the rock; his eyes see all its treasures. | |
| | 11 | He searches the sources of the rivers and brings hidden things to light. | |
| | 12 | "But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? | |
| | 13 | Man does not comprehend its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living. | |
| | 14 | The deep says, 'It is not in me'; the sea says, 'It is not with me.' | |
| | 15 | It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed in silver. | |
| | 16 | It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or sapphires. | |
| | 17 | Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold. | |
| | 18 | Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies. | |
| | 19 | The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it; it cannot be bought with pure gold. | |
| | 20 | "Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? | |
| | 21 | It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds of the air. | |
| | 22 | Destruction and Death say, 'Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.' | |
| | 23 | God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, | |
| | 24 | for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. | |
| | 25 | When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters, | |
| | 26 | when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, | |
| | 27 | then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it. | |
| | 28 | And he said to man, 'The fear of the Lord--that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'" | |
