1: Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out. 2: Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire. 3: Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark. 4: He makes a deep mine far away from those living in the light of day; when they go about on the earth, they have no knowledge of those who are under them, who are hanging far from men, twisting from side to side on a cord. 5: As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire. 6: Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold. 7: No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it. 8: The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way. 9: Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots. 10: He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value. 11: He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light. 12: But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge? 13: Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living. 14: The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me. 15: Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it. 16: It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire. 17: Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold. 18: There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls. 19: The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold. 20: From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge? 21: For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air. 22: Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears. 23: God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place; 24: For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven. 25: When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters; 26: When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames; 27: Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely. 28: And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
