| New International Version | English Standard Version |
| 1There 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. |
| 3Mortals put an end to the darkness; they search out the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness. | 3Man puts an end to darkness and searches out to the farthest limit the ore in gloom and deep darkness. |
| 4Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft, in places untouched by human feet; far from other people they dangle and sway. | 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. |
| 5The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire; | 5As for the earth, out of it comes bread, but underneath it is turned up as by fire. |
| 6lapis lazuli comes from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold. | 6Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold. |
| 7No bird of prey knows that hidden 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 do not set foot on it, and no lion prowls there. | 8The proud beasts have not trodden it; the lion has not passed over it. |
| 9People assault the flinty rock with their hands and lay bare the roots of the mountains. | 9“Man puts his hand to the flinty rock and overturns mountains by the roots. |
| 10They tunnel through the rock; their eyes see all its treasures. | 10He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing. |
| 11They search the sources of the rivers and bring hidden things 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? Where does understanding dwell? | 12“But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? |
| 13No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be 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 deep says, "It is not in me"; the sea says, "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 the finest 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 bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli. | 16It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. |
| 17Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold. | 17Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold. |
| 18Coral and jasper are not worthy 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. |
| 19The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it; it cannot be bought with pure gold. | 19The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold. |
| 20Where then does wisdom come from? 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, concealed even from the birds in the sky. | 21It is hidden from the eyes of all living and concealed from the birds of the air. |
| 22Destruction and Death say, "Only a rumor of it has reached our ears." | 22Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’ |
| 23God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, | 23“God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. |
| 24for he views 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 he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters, | 25When he gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure, |
| 26when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, | 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 confirmed it and tested it. | 27then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out. |
| 28And he said to the human race, "The fear of the Lord--that is wisdom, and to shun 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.’” |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | 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. |
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