1 ¶ Surely there is a vein for silver, and a place where gold is refined.

2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is melted out of the rock.

3 Man probes into the darkness, and searches out the farthest limit of ore: buried in the dark and gloomy rock.

4 He opens up a shaft far from where people live; forgotten by the foot of man: and here men dangle, swinging back and forth.

5 As for the earth, out of it comes food: and underneath it is turned over as by fire.

6 Its rocks produce lapis lazuli: and its dust contains gold.

7 There is a path that no bird knows, and that the vulture’s eye has not seen:

8 The lion’s cubs have not walked it, nor the fierce lion passed over it.

9 But the miner strikes the rock; he overturns the hills at their roots.

10 He cuts out channels in the rocks; and his eye sees every precious thing.

11 He explores the sources of rivers; and he brings to light what is hidden.

12 But where can wisdom be found? and where is the source of understanding?

13 Man does not know its value; nor is it found in the land of the living.

14 ¶ The deep says It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.

15 It cannot be bought with gold, nor can silver be weighed for its price.

16 It cannot be obtained with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

17 Neither gold or crystal can equal it: nor can jewels of fine gold be exchanged for it.

18 Not to mention corals, or pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

19 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot not equal it, nor can it be purchased with any amount of pure gold.

20 ¶ Where then does wisdom come from? and where is the source of understanding?

21 Seeing that it is hidden from the eyes of all living things, and concealed from the birds of the air.

22 Destruction and death say, Our ears have heard of its fame.

23 God alone knows the way to it, and knows the place where it is found.

24 For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under heaven;

25 When he gave the wind its weight; and decided how much water there should be.

26 When he made a decree for the rain, and paths for the lightning of the thunderclouds:

27 Then he saw it, and declared it; he established it, yea, and searched it out.

28 And to man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.