2Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is smelted out of the stone.

3God sets an end to darkness, and knows the end of everything, the deep and dark mine and the shadow of death.

4They have inherited a ruined mine from an alien people; they are gone astray from the right path and their number has diminished from among men.

5They lay open the earth, out of which comes sustenance; and from under it is turned up material as if it were burned with fire.

6The stones of it are the place where sapphires are found, and it has dust of gold in its paths.

7There is a path which no bird knows, and the vulture's eye has not seen;

8Wild beasts have not trodden it, nor has the lion passed by it.

9The miner puts forth his hand upon the hard rock to break it; he overturns the mountains from their foundations.

10He divides the rivers by his might; and his eye sees every precious thing.

11He binds up the rivers that they may not overflow; and the thing that is hid, he brings forth to light.

12But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding thereof?

13No man knows the treasure thereof; neither is it found except in the land of the living.

14The depth says, It is not in me, and the sea says, It is not with me.

15It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be counted for its price.

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

17The gold and the crystal cannot equal it; nor can precious pearls, jewels, and emeralds equal it.

18For the price of wisdom is above that of precious stones. Nor can colored gems, emeralds, and diamonds equal it.

19For the price of wisdom is above everything, and nothing can equal it. The pearls of Ethiopia and the topaz cannot equal it.

20Whence then comes wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?

21It is hid from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the fowls of the air.

22Destruction and death say, We have heard the report of it with our ears.

23Because only God understands the way of it, and he knows the place thereof.

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

25For he made a weight for the wind, and meted it out by the measure.

26He made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning and the thunder.

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

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