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 sapphires1 28:6 Or lapis lazuli ; also in verse 16 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 searches2 28:11 Septuagint, Aquila and Vulgate; Hebrew He dams up 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 Destruction3 28:22 Hebrew Abaddon 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.' " |
