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.
