Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

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

1“People know where to mine silver and how to refine gold.

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

2They know where to dig iron from the earth and how to smelt copper from rock.

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

3They know how to shine light in the darkness and explore the farthest regions of the earth as they search in the dark for ore.

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.

4They sink a mine shaft into the earth far from where anyone lives. They descend on ropes, swinging back and forth.

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

5Food is grown on the earth above, but down below, the earth is melted as by fire.

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

6Here the rocks contain precious lapis lazuli, and the dust contains gold.

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

7These are treasures no bird of prey can see, no falcon’s eye observe.

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

8No wild animal has walked upon these treasures; no lion has ever set his paw there.

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

9People know how to tear apart flinty rocks and overturn the roots of mountains.

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

10They cut tunnels in the rocks and uncover precious stones.

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

11They dam up the trickling streams and bring to light the hidden treasures.

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

12“But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?

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

13No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living.

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

14‘It is not here,’ says the ocean. ‘Nor is it here,’ says the sea.

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

15It cannot be bought with gold. It cannot be purchased with silver.

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

16It’s worth more than all the gold of Ophir, greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

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

17Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.

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

18Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it. The price of wisdom is far above rubies.

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

19Precious peridot from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for it. It’s worth more than the purest gold.

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

20“But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?

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

21It is hidden from the eyes of all humanity. Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it.

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

22Destruction and Death say, ‘We’ve heard only rumors of where wisdom can be found.’

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

23“God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found,

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

24for he looks throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens.

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

25He decided how hard the winds should blow and how much rain should fall.

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

26He made the laws for the rain and laid out a path for the lightning.

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

27Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it. He set it in place and examined it thoroughly.

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

28And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’”

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

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.