¹² But where can wisdom be found?^(R)
    Where does understanding dwell?^(S)
13 No mortal comprehends its worth;^(T)
    it cannot be found in the land of the living.^(U)
14 The deep^(V) says, “It is not in me”;
    the sea^(W) says, “It is not with me.”
¹⁵ It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
    nor can its price be weighed out in silver.^(X)
16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,^(Y)
    with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.^(Z)
17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,^(AA)
    nor can it be had for jewels of gold.^(AB)
18 Coral^(AC) and jasper^(AD) are not worthy of mention;
    the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.^(AE)
19 The topaz^(AF) of Cush^(AG) cannot compare with it;
    it cannot be bought with pure gold.^(AH)

²⁰ Where then does wisdom come from?
    Where does understanding dwell?^(AI)
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
    concealed even from the birds in the sky.^(AJ)
22 Destruction^[b](AK) and Death^(AL) say,
    “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
²³ God understands the way to it
    and he alone^(AM) knows where it dwells,^(AN)
24 for he views the ends of the earth^(AO)
    and sees everything under the heavens.^(AP)
25 When he established the force of the wind
    and measured out the waters,^(AQ)
26 when he made a decree for the rain^(AR)
    and a path for the thunderstorm,^(AS)
27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
    he confirmed it and tested it.^(AT)
28 And he said to the human race,
    “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
    and to shun evil^(AU) is understanding.”^(AV)

⁴ “But I have been the Lord your God
    ever since you came out of Egypt.^(M)
You shall acknowledge^(N) no God but me,^(O)
    no Savior^(P) except me.
⁵ I cared for you in the wilderness,^(Q)
    in the land of burning heat.
⁶ When I fed them, they were satisfied;
    when they were satisfied, they became proud;^(R)
    then they forgot^(S) me.^(T)
7 So I will be like a lion^(U) to them,
    like a leopard I will lurk by the path.
⁸ Like a bear robbed of her cubs,^(V)
    I will attack them and rip them open;
like a lion^(W) I will devour them—
    a wild animal will tear them apart.^(X)

⁹ “You are destroyed, Israel,
    because you are against me,^(Y) against your helper.^(Z)
10 Where is your king,^(AA) that he may save you?
    Where are your rulers in all your towns,
of whom you said,
    ‘Give me a king and princes’?^(AB)
11 So in my anger I gave you a king,^(AC)
    and in my wrath I took him away.^(AD)
12 The guilt of Ephraim is stored up,
    his sins are kept on record.^(AE)
13 Pains as of a woman in childbirth^(AF) come to him,
    but he is a child without wisdom;
when the time^(AG) arrives,
    he doesn’t have the sense to come out of the womb.^(AH)

¹⁴ “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave;^(AI)
    I will redeem them from death.^(AJ)
Where, O death, are your plagues?
    Where, O grave, is your destruction?^(AK)

“I will have no compassion,
¹⁵     even though he thrives^(AL) among his brothers.
An east wind^(AM) from the Lord will come,
    blowing in from the desert;
his spring will fail
    and his well dry up.^(AN)
His storehouse will be plundered^(AO)
    of all its treasures.
¹⁶ The people of Samaria^(AP) must bear their guilt,^(AQ)
    because they have rebelled^(AR) against their God.
They will fall by the sword;^(AS)
    their little ones will be dashed^(AT) to the ground,
    their pregnant women^(AU) ripped open.”^[b]

⁴ “I will heal^(BG) their waywardness^(BH)
    and love them freely,^(BI)
    for my anger has turned away^(BJ) from them.
⁵ I will be like the dew^(BK) to Israel;
    he will blossom like a lily.^(BL)
Like a cedar of Lebanon^(BM)
    he will send down his roots;^(BN)
6     his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,^(BO)
    his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.^(BP)
7 People will dwell again in his shade;^(BQ)
    they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom^(BR) like the vine—
    Israel’s fame will be like the wine^(BS) of Lebanon.^(BT)
8 Ephraim, what more have I^[e] to do with idols?^(BU)
    I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;^(BV)
    your fruitfulness comes from me.”

⁹ Who is wise?^(BW) Let them realize these things.
    Who is discerning? Let them understand.^(BX)
The ways of the Lord are right;^(BY)
    the righteous walk^(BZ) in them,
    but the rebellious stumble in them.