1. "For sure there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is made pure.
2. Iron is taken out of the earth. And copper is melted from the rock.
3. Man looks into the deepest darkness. And he goes out to the farthest part of the earth to look for rocks in the dark places.
4. Men break open deep holes far from where people live, forgotten by travelers. In the holes they hang and move from side to side far from men.
5. As for the earth, out of it comes food. But below, it is turned up as fire.
6. Sapphires come from its rocks and its dust has gold.
7. No bird who eats meat knows that path. The falcon's eye has not seen it.
8. The proud animals have not stepped on it. The strong lion has not passed over it.
9. Man puts his hand on the hard rock. He turns the mountains over at its base.
10. He makes a path through the rocks, and his eyes see everything of much worth.
11. He stops rivers from flowing. And he brings to light what is hidden.
12. "But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
13. Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living.
14. The deep waters say, 'It is not in me.' The sea says, 'It is not with me.'
15. Pure gold cannot be traded for it and it cannot be bought with silver.
16. It cannot be compared in worth to the gold of Ophir, onyx of much worth, or sapphire.
17. Gold or glass cannot be compared to it in worth and it cannot be traded for objects of fine gold.
18. There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal because wisdom cannot be paid for with rubies.
19. The topaz of Ethiopia cannot be compared to it in worth and it cannot be compared with the worth of pure gold.
20. Where then does wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding?
21. It is hidden from the eyes of all living. It is hidden from the birds of the sky.
22. The Place That Destroys and Death say, 'We have only heard about it with our ears.'
23. "God understands the way to wisdom, and He knows its place.
24. For He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under the heavens.
25. He gave weight to the wind. He decided how much water would be in the sea.
26. He decided how much rain would fall, and the path for the lightning.
27. Then He saw wisdom and made it known. He made it last, and found out all about it.
28. And He said to man, 'See, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. And to turn away from sin is understanding.' "