| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. | 1"Surely there are mines for silver and places where gold is refined. |
| 2Iron is taken from the ground, and rock is poured out as copper. | 2Iron is taken from the ground; and copper is smelted from ore. |
| 3Man puts an end to the darkness; he searches the farthest recesses for the ore in the deepest darkness. | 3Mankind limits the darkness as they search the deepest depths for ore in unfathomable darkness. |
| 4Far from where people live he sinks a shaft, in places travelers have long forgotten, far from other people he dangles and sways. | 4He sinks his shaft far from human habitations, in a place forgotten by explorers; they hang on harnesses as they swing back and forth. |
| 5The earth, from which food comes, is overturned below as though by fire; | 5"While the ground produces food, underneath it is torn up and burning hot, |
| 6a place whose stones are sapphires and which contains dust of gold; | 6where stones are sapphire and gold dust can be found, |
| 7a hidden path no bird of prey knows--no falcon's eye has spotted it. | 7a place where birds of prey never fly, and the eyes of the falcon have never seen. |
| 8Proud beasts have not set foot on it, and no lion has passed along it. | 8The proud beasts haven't walked there; lions have never passed over it. |
| 9On the flinty rock man has set to work with his hand; he has overturned mountains at their bases. | 9"Using a flint, he thrusts his hand, overturning mountains by the roots. |
| 10He has cut out channels through the rocks; his eyes have spotted every precious thing. | 10He cuts a channel through the rocks, while his eyes search for anything of value. |
| 11He has searched the sources of the rivers and what was hidden he has brought into the light. | 11He dams up flowing rivers, bringing hidden things to light." |
| 12"But wisdom--where can it be found? Where is the place of understanding? | 12"Where can wisdom be found? Where is understanding's home? |
| 13Mankind does not know its place; it cannot be found in the land of the living. | 13Mankind doesn't appreciate their value; and you won't find it anywhere on earth. |
| 14The deep says, 'It is not with me.' And the sea says, 'It is not with me.' | 14The deepest ocean says, 'It's not within me.' and the sea says, 'You'll never find it with me.' |
| 15Fine gold cannot be given in exchange for it, nor can its price be weighed out in silver. | 15You can't buy it with gold, and its value cannot be calculated in silver. |
| 16It cannot be measured out for purchase with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or sapphires. | 16It cannot be compared to gold from Ophir, with precious onyx, or with sapphire. |
| 17Neither gold nor crystal can be compared with it, nor can a vase of gold match its worth. | 17It cannot be compared to gold and fine glass crystal, nor can it be exchanged for gold-plated weaponry. |
| 18Of coral and jasper no mention will be made; the price of wisdom is more than pearls. | 18Don't even bother to mention coral and crystal— wisdom is more valuable than a bag of rubies. |
| 19The topaz of Cush cannot be compared with it; it cannot be purchased with pure gold. | 19It can neither be compared with the topaz of Ethiopia nor valued in comparison to pure gold." |
| 20"But wisdom--where does it come from? Where is the place of understanding? | 20"From where, then, does wisdom originate? Where does understanding live? |
| 21For it has been hidden from the eyes of every living creature, and from the birds of the sky it has been concealed. | 21It has been concealed from the sight of every living creature and hidden even from the birds in the skies. |
| 22Destruction and Death say, 'With our ears we have heard a rumor about where it can be found.' | 22Abaddon and death said, 'We did hear a rumor about it.' |
| 23God understands the way to it, and he alone knows its place. | 23God understands how to get there; he knows where they live. |
| 24For he looks to the ends of the earth and observes everything under the heavens. | 24For he looks as far as the ends of the earth and sees everything under the sky. |
| 25When he made the force of the wind and measured the waters with a gauge. | 25"He imparted weight to the wind; he regulated water by his measurement. |
| 26When he imposed a limit for the rain, and a path for the thunderstorm, | 26He set in place ordinances for the rain; and determined the pathway for thunder that accompanies lightning. |
| 27then he looked at wisdom and assessed its value; he established it and examined it closely. | 27Then he looked at wisdom, and fixed it in place; he established it, and also examined it. |
| 28And he said to mankind, 'The fear of the LORD--that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'" | 28He has commanded mankind: 'To fear the Lord—that is wisdom; to move away from evil—that is understanding.'" |
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