Berean Study Bible

English Standard Version

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

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

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

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

3Man puts an end to the darkness; he probes the farthest recesses for ore in deepest darkness.

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

4Far from human habitation he cuts a shaft in places forgotten by the foot of man. Far from men he dangles and sways.

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.

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

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

6Its rocks are the source of sapphires, containing flecks of gold.

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

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

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

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

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

9The miner strikes the flint; he overturns mountains at their base.

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

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

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

11He stops up the sources of the streams to bring what is hidden to light.

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

12But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding dwell?

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

13No man can know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living.

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

14The ocean depths say, ‘It is not in me,’ while the sea declares, ‘It is not with me.’

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

15It cannot be bought with gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver.

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

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

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

17Neither gold nor crystal can compare to it, nor jewels of fine gold be exchanged for it.

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

18Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

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

19Topaz from Cush cannot compare to it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.

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

20From where then does wisdom come, and where does understanding dwell?

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

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

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

22Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor about it.’

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

23But God understands its way, and He knows its place.

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

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 God fixed the weight of the wind and measured out the waters,

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

26when He set a limit for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt,

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

27then He looked at wisdom and appraised it; He established it and searched it out.

27then he saw it and declared it; he established it, 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 he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved.

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.