Surely there is a vein
for the silver
, and a place
for gold
where they fine
it .
Iron is taken
out of the earth
, and brass
is molten
out of the stone
.
He setteth an end
to darkness
, and searcheth out
all perfection
: the stones
of darkness
, and the shadow of death
.
The flood breaketh out
from the inhabitant
; even the waters forgotten
of the foot
: they are dried up
, they are gone away
from men
.
As for the earth, out of it cometh
bread
: and under it is turned up
as it were fire
.
The stones of it are the place
of sapphires
: and it hath dust
of gold
.
There is a path which no fowl
knoweth
, and which the vulture's
eye
hath not seen
:
The lion's whelps
have not trodden
it, nor the fierce lion
passed
by it.
He putteth forth his hand
upon the rock
; he overturneth
the mountains
by the roots
.
He cutteth out rivers
among the rocks
; and his eye
seeth
every precious thing
.
He bindeth the floods
from overflowing
; and the thing that is hid
bringeth he forth
to light
.
But where shall wisdom
be found
? and where is the place
of understanding
?
Man knoweth
not the price
thereof; neither is it found
in the land
of the living
.
The depth saith
, It is not in me: and the sea
saith
, It is not with me.
It cannot be gotten for gold
, neither shall silver
be weighed
for the price
thereof.
It cannot be valued with the gold
of Ophir
, with the precious
onyx
, or the sapphire
.
The gold and the crystal
cannot equal
it: and the exchange
of it shall not be for jewels
of fine gold
.
No mention shall be made of coral
, or of pearls
: for the price
of wisdom
is above rubies
.
The topaz of Ethiopia
shall not equal
it, neither shall it be valued
with pure
gold
.
Whence then cometh
wisdom
? and where is the place
of understanding
?
Seeing it is hid from the eyes
of all living
, and kept close
from the fowls
of the air
.
Destruction and death
say
, We have heard
the fame
thereof with our ears
.
God understandeth
the way
thereof, and he knoweth
the place
thereof.
For he looketh to the ends
of the earth
, and seeth
under the whole heaven
;
To make the weight
for the winds
; and he weigheth
the waters
by measure
.
When he made a decree
for the rain
, and a way
for the lightning
of the thunder
:
Then did he see it, and declare
it; he prepared
it, yea, and searched it out
.
And unto man he said
, Behold, the fear
of the Lord
, that is wisdom
; and to depart
from evil
is understanding
.