Job 28 (New International Version)

1 "There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.¹ 2 Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.² 3 Man puts an end to the darkness;³ he searches the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness.⁴ 4 Far from where people dwell he cuts a shaft,⁵ in places forgotten by the foot of man; far from men he dangles and sways. 5 The earth, from which food comes,⁶ is transformed below as by fire; 6 sapphires^a7 come from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold.⁸ 7 No bird of prey knows that hidden path, no falcon's eye has seen it.⁹ 8 Proud beasts¹⁰ do not set foot on it, and no lion prowls there.¹¹ 9 Man's hand assaults the flinty rock¹² and lays bare the roots of the mountains.¹³ 10 He tunnels through the rock;¹⁴ his eyes see all its treasures.¹⁵ 11 He searches^b the sources of the rivers¹⁶ and brings hidden things¹⁷ to light. 12 "But where can wisdom be found?¹⁸ Where does understanding dwell?¹⁹ 13 Man does not comprehend its worth;²⁰ it cannot be found in the land of the living.²¹ 14 The deep²² says, 'It is not in me'; the sea²³ says, 'It is not with me.' 15 It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed in silver.²⁴ 16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,²⁵ with precious onyx or sapphires.²⁶ 17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,²⁷ nor can it be had for jewels of gold.²⁸ 18 Coral²⁹ and jasper³⁰ are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.³¹ 19 The topaz³² of Cush³³ cannot compare with it; it cannot be bought with pure gold.³⁴ 20 "Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell?³⁵ 21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds of the air.³⁶ 22 Destruction^c37 and Death³⁸ say, 'Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.' 23 God understands the way to it and he alone³⁹ knows where it dwells,⁴⁰ 24 for he views the ends of the earth⁴¹ and sees everything under the heavens.⁴² 25 When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters,⁴³ 26 when he made a decree for the rain⁴⁴ and a path for the thunderstorm,⁴⁵ 27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it.⁴⁶ 28 And he said to man, 'The fear of the Lord--that is wisdom, and to shun evil⁴⁷ is understanding.⁴⁸' "