| New King James Version | 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 darkness, And searches every recess For ore in the darkness and the shadow of death. | 3Man puts an end to darkness and searches out to the farthest limit the ore in gloom and deep darkness. |
| 4He breaks open a shaft away from people; In places forgotten by feet They hang far away from men; They swing to and fro. | 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. |
| 5As for the earth, from it comes bread, But underneath it is turned up as by fire; | 5As for the earth, out of it comes bread, but underneath it is turned up as by fire. |
| 6Its stones are the source of sapphires, And it contains gold dust. | 6Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold. |
| 7That path no bird knows, Nor has the falcon’s eye seen it. | 7“That path no bird of prey knows, and the falcon’s eye has not seen it. |
| 8The proud lions have not trodden it, Nor has the fierce lion passed over it. | 8The proud beasts have not trodden it; the lion has not passed over it. |
| 9He puts his hand on the flint; He overturns the mountains at the roots. | 9“Man puts his hand to the flinty rock and overturns mountains by the roots. |
| 10He cuts out channels in the rocks, And his eye sees every precious thing. | 10He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing. |
| 11He dams up the streams from trickling; What is hidden he brings forth to light. | 11He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle, and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light. |
| 12“But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? | 12“But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? |
| 13Man does not 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 deep says, ‘It is not in me’; And 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 purchased for gold, Nor can silver be weighed for its price. | 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 equal it, Nor can it be exchanged for jewelry of fine gold. | 17Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold. |
| 18No mention shall be made of coral or quartz, For the price of wisdom is above rubies. | 18No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls. |
| 19The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, Nor can it be valued in pure gold. | 19The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold. |
| 20“From where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding? | 20“From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of 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 living and concealed from the birds of the air. |
| 22Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a report about it with our ears.’ | 22Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’ |
| 23God 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 under the whole heavens, | 24For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. |
| 25To establish a weight for the wind, And apportion the waters by measure. | 25When he gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure, |
| 26When He made a law 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 saw wisdom and declared it; He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out. | 27then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out. |
| 28And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart 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 Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. 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. |
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