English Standard Version

Christian Standard Bible

1“Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold that they refine.

1Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.

2Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from the ore.

2Iron is taken from the ground, and copper is smelted from ore.

3Man puts an end to darkness and searches out to the farthest limit the ore in gloom and deep darkness.

3A miner puts an end to the darkness; he probes the deepest recesses for ore in the gloomy darkness.

4He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives; they are forgotten by travelers; they hang in the air, far away from mankind; they swing to and fro.

4He cuts a shaft far from human habitation, in places unknown to those who walk above ground. Suspended far away from people, the miners swing back and forth.

5As for the earth, out of it comes bread, but underneath it is turned up as by fire.

5Food may come from the earth, but below the surface the earth is transformed as by fire.

6Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.

6Its rocks are a source of lapis lazuli, containing flecks of gold.

7“That path no bird of prey knows, and the falcon’s eye has not seen it.

7No bird of prey knows that path; no falcon's eye has seen it.

8The proud beasts have not trodden it; the lion has not passed over it.

8Proud beasts have never walked on it; no lion has ever prowled over it.

9“Man puts his hand to the flinty rock and overturns mountains by the roots.

9The miner uses a flint tool and turns up ore from the root of the mountains.

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

10He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eyes spot every treasure.

11He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle, and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.

11He dams up the streams from flowing so that he may bring to light what is hidden.

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

12But where can wisdom be found, and where is understanding located?

13Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living.

13No one can know its value, since it cannot be found in the land of the living.

14The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’ and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

14The ocean depths say, "It's not in me," while the sea declares, "I don't have it."

15It cannot be bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price.

15Gold cannot be exchanged for it, and silver cannot be weighed out for its price.

16It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.

16Wisdom cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

17Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

17Gold and glass do not compare with it, and articles of fine gold cannot be exchanged for it.

18No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls.

18Coral and quartz are not worth mentioning. The price of wisdom is beyond pearls.

19The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.

19Topaz from Cush cannot compare with it, and it cannot be valued in pure gold.

20“From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?

20Where then does wisdom come from, and where is understanding located?

21It is hidden from the eyes of all living and concealed from the birds of the air.

21It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the sky.

22Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’

22Abaddon and Death say, "We have heard news of it with our ears."

23“God understands the way to it, and he knows its place.

23But God understands the way to wisdom, and he knows its location.

24For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.

24For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.

25When he gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure,

25When God fixed the weight of the wind and distributed the water by measure,

26when he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder,

26when he established a limit for the rain and a path for the lightning,

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

27he considered wisdom and evaluated it; he established it and examined it.

28And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

28He said to mankind, "The fear of the LORD--that is wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding."

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.