English Standard Version

King James Bible

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

1Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.

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

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

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

3He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.

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.

4The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.

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

5As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.

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

6The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.

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

7There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:

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

8The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.

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

9He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.

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

10He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.

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

11He 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?

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

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

13Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it 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 depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

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

15It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

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

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

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

17The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

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

18No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

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

19The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

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

20Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

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

21Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

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

22Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

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

23God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

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

24For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

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

25To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

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

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

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

27Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

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

28And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart 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.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.