The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
New International Version NIV
1 "There are mines for silver and places where gold is refined;
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There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.
2 iron is extracted from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.
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Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.
3 Miners conquer the darkness and dig as far in as they can, to the ore in gloom and deep 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 There where no one lives, they break open a shaft; the feet passing over are oblivious to them; far from people, suspended in space, they swing to and fro.
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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 "While the earth is [peacefully] yielding bread, underneath, it is being convulsed as if by fire;
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The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire;
6 its rocks have veins of sapphire, and there are flecks of gold.
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lapis lazuli comes from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold.
7 Birds of prey don't know that path, no falcon's eye has seen it,
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No bird of prey knows that hidden path, no falcon’s eye has seen it.
8 the proud beasts have never set foot on it, no lion has ever passed over it.
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Proud beasts do not set foot on it, and no lion prowls there.
9 "[The miner] attacks the flint, overturns mountains at their roots,
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People assault the flinty rock with their hands and lay bare the roots of the mountains.
10 and cuts out galleries in the rock, all the while watching for something of value.
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They tunnel through the rock; their eyes see all its treasures.
11 He dams up streams to keep them from flooding, and brings what was 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? Where is the source of understanding?
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But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?
13 No one knows its value, and it can't be found in the land of the living.
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No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living.
14 The deep says, 'It isn't in me,'and the sea says, 'It isn't with me.'
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The deep says, “It is not in me”; the sea says, “It is not with me.”
15 It can't be obtained with gold, nor can silver be weighed out to buy it.
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It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver.
16 It can't be purchased with choice gold from Ofir, or with precious onyx or sapphires.
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It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
17 Neither gold nor glass can be compared with it; nor can it be exchanged for a bowl of fine gold,
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Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold.
18 let alone coral or crystal; for indeed, the price of wisdom is above that of pearls.
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Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
19 It can't be compared with Ethiopian topaz, and it can't be valued with pure 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? where is the source of understanding,
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Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell?
21 inasmuch as it is hidden from the eyes of all living and kept secret from the birds flying around in the sky?
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It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds in the sky.
22 Destruction and Death say, 'We have heard a rumor about it with our ears.'
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Destruction and Death say, “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
23 "God understands its way, and he knows its place.
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God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells,
24 For he can see to the ends of the earth and view everything under heaven.
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for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
25 When he determined the force of the wind and parceled out water by measure,
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When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters,
26 when he made a law for the rain and cleared a path for the thunderbolts;
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when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm,
27 then he saw [wisdom] and declared it, yes, he set it up and searched it out.
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then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it.
28 And to human beings he said, 'Look, fear of Adonai is wisdom! Shunning 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.”
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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.