ESV 1 "Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold that they refine. NIV 1 There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. ESV 2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from the ore. NIV 2 Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore. ESV 3 Man puts an end to darkness and searches out to the farthest limit the ore in gloom and deep darkness. NIV 3 Mortals put an end to the darkness; they search out the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness. ESV 4 He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives; they are forgotten by travelers; they hang in the air, far away from mankind; they swing to and fro. NIV 4 Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft, in places untouched by human feet; far from other people they dangle and sway. ESV 5 As for the earth, out of it comes bread, but underneath it is turned up as by fire. NIV 5 The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire; ESV 6 Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold. NIV 6 lapis lazuli comes from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold. ESV 7 "That path no bird of prey knows, and the falcon's eye has not seen it. NIV 7 No bird of prey knows that hidden path, no falcon’s eye has seen it. ESV 8 The proud beasts have not trodden it; the lion has not passed over it. NIV 8 Proud beasts do not set foot on it, and no lion prowls there. ESV 9 "Man puts his hand to the flinty rock and overturns mountains by the roots. NIV 9 People assault the flinty rock with their hands and lay bare the roots of the mountains. ESV 10 He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing. NIV 10 They tunnel through the rock; their eyes see all its treasures. ESV 11 He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle, and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light. NIV 11 They search the sources of the rivers and bring hidden things to light. ESV 12 "But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? NIV 12 But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? ESV 13 Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living. NIV 13 No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living. ESV 14 The deep says, 'It is not in me,' and the sea says, 'It is not with me.' NIV 14 The deep says, “It is not in me”; the sea says, “It is not with me.” ESV 15 It cannot be bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price. NIV 15 It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver. ESV 16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. NIV 16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli. ESV 17 Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold. NIV 17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold. ESV 18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls. NIV 18 Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies. ESV 19 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold. NIV 19 The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it; it cannot be bought with pure gold. ESV 20 "From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding? NIV 20 Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? ESV 21 It is hidden from the eyes of all living and concealed from the birds of the air. NIV 21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds in the sky. ESV 22 Abaddon and Death say, 'We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.' NIV 22 Destruction and Death say, “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.” ESV 23 "God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. NIV 23 God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, ESV 24 For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. NIV 24 for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. ESV 25 When he gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure, NIV 25 When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters, ESV 26 when he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder, NIV 26 when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, ESV 27 then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out. NIV 27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it. ESV 28 And he said to man, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'" NIV 28 And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”
NIV 1 There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. NIV 2 Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore. NIV 3 Mortals put an end to the darkness; they search out the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness. NIV 4 Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft, in places untouched by human feet; far from other people they dangle and sway. NIV 5 The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire; NIV 6 lapis lazuli comes from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold. NIV 7 No bird of prey knows that hidden path, no falcon’s eye has seen it. NIV 8 Proud beasts do not set foot on it, and no lion prowls there. NIV 9 People assault the flinty rock with their hands and lay bare the roots of the mountains. NIV 10 They tunnel through the rock; their eyes see all its treasures. NIV 11 They search the sources of the rivers and bring hidden things to light. NIV 12 But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? NIV 13 No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living. NIV 14 The deep says, “It is not in me”; the sea says, “It is not with me.” NIV 15 It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver. NIV 16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli. NIV 17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold. NIV 18 Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies. NIV 19 The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it; it cannot be bought with pure gold. NIV 20 Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? NIV 21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds in the sky. NIV 22 Destruction and Death say, “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.” NIV 23 God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, NIV 24 for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. NIV 25 When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters, NIV 26 when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, NIV 27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it. NIV 28 And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”