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.
