[1] SURELY there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
[2] Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
[3] He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
[4] The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
[5] As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
[6] The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.
[7] There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen:
[8] The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
[9] He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
[10] He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
[11] He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.
[12] But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
[13] Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
[14] The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
[15] It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
[16] It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
[17] The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
[18] No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
[19] The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
[20] Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
[21] Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
[22] Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
[23] God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
[24] For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
[25] To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
[26] When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
[27] Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
[28] And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
