Job 28.28
New International Version

¹ There is a mine for silver
and a place where gold is refined.

² Iron is taken from the earth,
and copper is smelted from ore.

³ Mortals put an end to the darkness;
they search out the farthest recesses
for ore in the blackest darkness.

⁴ Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,
in places untouched by human feet;
far from other people they dangle and sway.

⁵ The earth, from which food comes,
is transformed below as by fire;

⁶ lapis lazuli comes from its rocks,
and its dust contains nuggets of gold.

⁷ No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
no falcon’s eye has seen it.

⁸ Proud beasts do not set foot on it,
and no lion prowls there.

⁹ People assault the flinty rock with their hands
and lay bare the roots of the mountains.

¹⁰ They tunnel through the rock;
their eyes see all its treasures.

¹¹ They search the sources of the rivers
and bring hidden things to light.

¹² But where can wisdom be found?
Where does understanding dwell?

¹³ No mortal comprehends its worth;
it cannot be found in the land of the living.

¹⁴ The deep says, “It is not in me”;
the sea says, “It is not with me.”

¹⁵ It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
nor can its price be weighed out in silver.

¹⁶ It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,
with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

¹⁷ Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,
nor can it be had for jewels of gold.

¹⁸ Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;
the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

¹⁹ The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;
it cannot be bought with pure gold.

²⁰ Where then does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding dwell?

²¹ It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
concealed even from the birds in the sky.

²² Destruction and Death say,
“Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”

²³ God understands the way to it
and he alone knows where it dwells,

²⁴ for he views the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.

²⁵ When he established the force of the wind
and measured out the waters,

²⁶ when he made a decree for the rain
and a path for the thunderstorm,

²⁷ then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
he confirmed it and tested it.

²⁸ And he said to the human race,
“The fear of the Lord — that is wisdom,
and to shun evil is understanding.”