The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out.
1
There are mines where silver is dug; There are places where gold is refined.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire.
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We dig iron out of the ground And melt copper out of the stones.
3 Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark.
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Miners explore the deepest darkness. They search the depths of the earth And dig for rocks in the darkness.
4 He makes a deep mine far away from those living in the light of day; when they go about on the earth, they have no knowledge of those who are under them, who are hanging far from men, twisting from side to side on a cord.
4
Far from where anyone lives Or human feet ever travel, They dig the shafts of mines. There they work in loneliness, Clinging to ropes in the pits.
5 As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire.
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Food grows out of the earth, But underneath the same earth All is torn up and crushed.
6 Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.
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The stones of the earth contain sapphires, And its dust contains gold.
7 No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it.
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No hawk sees the roads to the mines, And no vulture ever flies over them.
8 The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way.
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No lion or other fierce beast Ever travels those lonely roads.
9 Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots.
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Miners dig the hardest rocks, Dig mountains away at their base.
10 He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value.
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As they tunnel through the rocks, They discover precious stones.
11 He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light.
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They dig to the sources of rivers And bring to light what is hidden.
12 But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
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But where can wisdom be found? Where can we learn to understand?
13 Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living.
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Wisdom is not to be found among mortals; No one knows its true value.
14 The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.
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The depths of the oceans and seas Say that wisdom is not found there.
15 Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it.
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It cannot be bought with silver or gold.
16 It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire.
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The finest gold and jewels Cannot equal its value.
17 Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold.
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It is worth more than gold, Than a gold vase or finest glass.
18 There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls.
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The value of wisdom is more Than coral or crystal or rubies.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold.
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The finest topaz and the purest gold Cannot compare with the value of wisdom.
20 From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
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Where, then, is the source of wisdom? Where can we learn to understand?
21 For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air.
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No living creature can see it, Not even a bird in flight.
22 Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears.
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Even death and destruction Admit they have heard only rumors.
23 God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place;
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God alone knows the way, Knows the place where wisdom is found,
24 For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven.
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Because he sees the ends of the earth, Sees everything under the sky.
25 When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters;
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When God gave the wind its power And determined the size of the sea;
26 When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;
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When God decided where the rain would fall, And the path that the thunderclouds travel;
27 Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely.
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It was then he saw wisdom and tested its worth - He gave it his approval.
28 And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
28
God said to us humans, "To be wise, you must have reverence for the Lord. To understand, you must turn from evil."
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.