English Standard Version

New Living Translation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 a rumor of it with our ears.’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.