King James Version KJV
Good News Translation GNT
1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
1
There are mines where silver is dug; There are places where gold is refined.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
2
We dig iron out of the ground And melt copper out of the stones.
3 He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
3
Miners explore the deepest darkness. They search the depths of the earth And dig for rocks in the darkness.
4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
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, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
5
Food grows out of the earth, But underneath the same earth All is torn up and crushed.
6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.
6
The stones of the earth contain sapphires, And its dust contains gold.
7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:
7
No hawk sees the roads to the mines, And no vulture ever flies over them.
8 The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
8
No lion or other fierce beast Ever travels those lonely roads.
9 He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
9
Miners dig the hardest rocks, Dig mountains away at their base.
10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
10
As they tunnel through the rocks, They discover precious stones.
11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.
11
They dig to the sources of rivers And bring to light what is hidden.
12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
12
But where can wisdom be found? Where can we learn to understand?
13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
13
Wisdom is not to be found among mortals; No one knows its true value.
14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
14
The depths of the oceans and seas Say that wisdom is not found there.
15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
15
It cannot be bought with silver or gold.
16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
16
The finest gold and jewels Cannot equal its value.
17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
17
It is worth more than gold, Than a gold vase or finest glass.
18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
18
The value of wisdom is more Than coral or crystal or rubies.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
19
The finest topaz and the purest gold Cannot compare with the value of wisdom.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
20
Where, then, is the source of wisdom? Where can we learn to understand?
21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
21
No living creature can see it, Not even a bird in flight.
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
22
Even death and destruction Admit they have heard only rumors.
23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
23
God alone knows the way, Knows the place where wisdom is found,
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
24
Because he sees the ends of the earth, Sees everything under the sky.
25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
25
When God gave the wind its power And determined the size of the sea;
26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
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When God decided where the rain would fall, And the path that the thunderclouds travel;
27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
27
It was then he saw wisdom and tested its worth - He gave it his approval.
28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
28
God said to us humans, "To be wise, you must have reverence for the Lord. To understand, you must turn from evil."
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.