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