New Century Version NCV
New International Version NIV
1 "There are mines where people dig silver and places where gold is made pure.
1
There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.
2 Iron is taken from the ground, and copper is melted out of rocks.
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Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.
3 Miners bring lights and search deep into the mines for ore in thick darkness.
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Mortals put an end to the darkness; they search out the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness.
4 Miners dig a tunnel far from where people live, where no one has ever walked; they work far from people, swinging and swaying from ropes.
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Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft, in places untouched by human feet; far from other people they dangle and sway.
5 Food grows on top of the earth, but below ground things are changed as if by fire.
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The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire;
6 Sapphires are found in rocks, and gold dust is also found there.
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lapis lazuli comes from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold.
7 No hawk knows that path; the falcon has not seen it.
7
No bird of prey knows that hidden path, no falcon’s eye has seen it.
8 Proud animals have not walked there, and no lions cross over it.
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Proud beasts do not set foot on it, and no lion prowls there.
9 Miners hit the rocks of flint and dig away at the bottom of the mountains.
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People assault the flinty rock with their hands and lay bare the roots of the mountains.
10 They cut tunnels through the rock and see all the treasures there.
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They tunnel through the rock; their eyes see all its treasures.
11 They search for places where rivers begin and bring things hidden out into the light.
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They search the sources of the rivers and bring hidden things to light.
12 "But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding live?
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But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?
13 People do not understand the value of wisdom; it cannot be found among those who are alive.
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No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living.
14 The deep ocean says, 'It's not in me;' the sea says, 'It's not in me.'
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The deep says, “It is not in me”; the sea says, “It is not with me.”
15 Wisdom cannot be bought with gold, and its cost cannot be weighed in silver.
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It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver.
16 Wisdom cannot be bought with fine gold or with valuable onyx or sapphire gems.
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It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
17 Gold and crystal are not as valuable as wisdom, and you cannot buy it with jewels of gold.
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Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold.
18 Coral and jasper are not worth talking about, and the price of wisdom is much greater than rubies.
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Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
19 The topaz from Cush cannot compare to wisdom; it cannot be bought with the purest gold.
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The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it; it cannot be bought with pure gold.
20 "So where does wisdom come from, and where does understanding live?
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Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, even from the birds of the air.
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It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds in the sky.
22 The places of destruction and death say, 'We have heard reports about it.'
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Destruction and Death say, “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
23 Only God understands the way to wisdom, and he alone knows where it lives,
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God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells,
24 because he looks to the farthest parts of the earth and sees everything under the sky.
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for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
25 When God gave power to the wind and measured the water,
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When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters,
26 when he made rules for the rain and set a path for a thunderstorm to follow,
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when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm,
27 then he looked at wisdom and decided its worth; he set wisdom up and tested it.
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then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it.
28 Then he said to humans, 'The fear of the Lord is wisdom; to stay away from evil is understanding.'"
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And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.