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)

² “How I long for the months gone by,^(AX)
    for the days when God watched over me,^(AY)
3 when his lamp shone on my head
    and by his light I walked through darkness!^(AZ)
4 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
    when God’s intimate friendship^(BA) blessed my house,^(BB)
5 when the Almighty was still with me
    and my children^(BC) were around me,^(BD)
6 when my path was drenched with cream^(BE)
    and the rock^(BF) poured out for me streams of olive oil.^(BG)

⁷ “When I went to the gate^(BH) of the city
    and took my seat in the public square,
⁸ the young men saw me and stepped aside^(BI)
    and the old men rose to their feet;^(BJ)
9 the chief men refrained from speaking^(BK)
    and covered their mouths with their hands;^(BL)
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,^(BM)
    and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.^(BN)
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
    and those who saw me commended me,^(BO)
12 because I rescued the poor^(BP) who cried for help,
    and the fatherless^(BQ) who had none to assist them.^(BR)
13 The one who was dying blessed me;^(BS)
    I made the widow’s^(BT) heart sing.
¹⁴ I put on righteousness^(BU) as my clothing;
    justice was my robe and my turban.^(BV)
15 I was eyes^(BW) to the blind
    and feet to the lame.^(BX)
16 I was a father to the needy;^(BY)
    I took up the case^(BZ) of the stranger.^(CA)
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
    and snatched the victims^(CB) from their teeth.^(CC)

¹⁸ “I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,
    my days as numerous as the grains of sand.^(CD)
19 My roots will reach to the water,^(CE)
    and the dew will lie all night on my branches.^(CF)
20 My glory will not fade;^(CG)
    the bow^(CH) will be ever new in my hand.’^(CI)

²¹ “People listened to me expectantly,
    waiting in silence for my counsel.^(CJ)
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more;^(CK)
    my words fell gently on their ears.^(CL)
23 They waited for me as for showers
    and drank in my words as the spring rain.^(CM)
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
    the light of my face^(CN) was precious to them.^[c](CO)
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;^(CP)
    I dwelt as a king^(CQ) among his troops;
    I was like one who comforts mourners.^(CR)