There is certainly a mine for silver, And a place for gold to be refined.

Iron is taken out of the earth, And copper is smelted from rock.

The miner sets an end to the darkness, And to the very end he searches out The stones of deep darkness and of gloom.

He breaks open a shaft apart from where men dwell; They are forgotten by the foot; They are suspended apart from men, they sway about.

The earth-from it comes forth food, Yet underneath it, it is turned up as it were by fire.

Its stones are the place of sapphires, And its dust has gold.

It is a path known by no bird of prey, And the falcon's eye has not seen it.

The proud beasts have not trodden it; The fierce lion does not pass along it.

The miner sends forth his hand into the flinty rock; He overturns the mountains by its roots.

He cuts out channels in the rocks, And his eye sees every precious thing.

He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle, And that which is hidden he brings out to the light.

But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?

Man does not know its price, Nor is it found in the land of the living.

The deep says, It is not in me; And the sea says, It is not with me.

Rare gold cannot be given for it, Nor can silver be weighed out for its price.

It cannot be balanced with the gold of Ophir, With precious onyx or with sapphire.

Gold and glass cannot compare with it, Nor can vessels of fine gold be exchanged for it.

Coral and crystal cannot be mentioned with it; Indeed the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls.

The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it, Nor can it be balanced with pure gold.

From where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?

For it is hidden from the eyes of all living And concealed from the birds of heaven.

Abaddon and Death say, We have heard a report of it with our ears.

God understands the way to it; He knows its place.

For He sees to the ends of the earth; He beholds all that is under heaven.

When He gave weight to the wind And apportioned the water by measure,

When He made a decree for the rain And a way for the thunderbolt;

Then He saw it and declared it; He established it and even searched it out.

And He said to man, Indeed, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.