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 melted out of the stone. |
3. |
He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shades of death. |
4. |
The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant: even the waters forgotten by the foot: they are dried up, they have 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 vultur'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 he bringeth forth to light. |
12. |
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? |
13. |
Man knoweth not the price of it; 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 obtained for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price of it. |
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 Cush 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 of it with our ears. |
23. |
God understandeth the way of it, and he knoweth its place. |
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 to man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. |