[1] “Surely 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 probes the farthest recesses for ore in deepest darkness. [4] Far from human habitation he cuts a shaft in places forgotten by the foot of man. Far from men he dangles and sways. [5] Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire. [6] Its rocks are the source of sapphires, containing flecks of gold. [7] No bird of prey knows that path; no falcon’s eye has seen it. [8] Proud beasts have never trodden it; no lion has ever prowled over it. [9] The miner strikes the flint; he overturns mountains at their base. [10] He hews out channels in the rocks, and his eyes spot every treasure. [11] He stops up the sources of the streams to bring what is hidden to light. [12] But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding dwell? [13] No man can know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living. [14] The ocean depths say, ‘It is not in me,’ while the sea declares, ‘It is not with me.’ [15] It cannot be bought with gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver. [16] It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. [17] Neither gold nor crystal can compare to it, nor jewels of fine gold be exchanged for it. [18] Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies. [19] Topaz from Cush cannot compare to it, nor can it be valued in pure gold. [20] From where, then, does wisdom come, and where does understanding dwell? [21] It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the air. [22] Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor about it.’ [23] But God understands its way, and He knows its place. [24] For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. [25] When God fixed the weight of the wind and measured out the waters, [26] when He set a limit for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt, [27] then He looked at wisdom and appraised it; He established it and searched it out. [28] And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
