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.

10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.

11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.

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

13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

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Iron is taken from the earth,
    and copper is smelted from ore.(A)
Mortals put an end to the darkness;(B)
    they search out the farthest recesses
    for ore in the blackest darkness.(C)
Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,(D)
    in places untouched by human feet;
    far from other people they dangle and sway.
The earth, from which food comes,(E)
    is transformed below as by fire;
lapis lazuli(F) comes from its rocks,
    and its dust contains nuggets of gold.(G)
No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
    no falcon’s eye has seen it.(H)
Proud beasts(I) do not set foot on it,
    and no lion prowls there.(J)
People assault the flinty rock(K) with their hands
    and lay bare the roots of the mountains.(L)
10 They tunnel through the rock;(M)
    their eyes see all its treasures.(N)
11 They search[a] the sources of the rivers(O)
    and bring hidden things(P) to light.

12 But where can wisdom be found?(Q)
    Where does understanding dwell?(R)
13 No mortal comprehends its worth;(S)
    it cannot be found in the land of the living.(T)
14 The deep(U) says, “It is not in me”;
    the sea(V) says, “It is not with me.”
15 It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
    nor can its price be weighed out in silver.(W)

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Footnotes

  1. Job 28:11 Septuagint, Aquila and Vulgate; Hebrew They dam up

18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

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18 Coral(A) and jasper(B) are not worthy of mention;
    the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.(C)

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20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

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20 Where then does wisdom come from?
    Where does understanding dwell?(A)
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
    concealed even from the birds in the sky.(B)

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20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

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20 Where then does wisdom come from?
    Where does understanding dwell?(A)
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
    concealed even from the birds in the sky.(B)

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