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