New Revised Standard NRS
Common English Bible CEB
1 "Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold to be refined.
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There is a sure source of silver, a place where gold is refined.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.
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Iron is taken from the earth; rock is smelted into copper.
3 Miners put an end to darkness, and search out to the farthest bound the ore in gloom and deep darkness.
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Humans put an end to darkness, dig for ore to the farthest depths, into stone in utter darkness,
4 They open shafts in a valley away from human habitation; they are forgotten by travelers, they sway suspended, remote from people.
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open a shaft away from any inhabitant, places forgotten by those on foot, apart from any human they hang and sway.
5 As for the earth, out of it comes bread; but underneath it is turned up as by fire.
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Earth—from it comes food— is turned over below ground as by fire.
6 Its stones are the place of sapphires, and its dust contains gold.
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Its rocks are the source for lapis lazuli; there is gold dust in it.
7 "That path no bird of prey knows, and the falcon's eye has not seen it.
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A path— no bird of prey knows it; a hawk's eye hasn't seen it;
8 The proud wild animals have not trodden it; the lion has not passed over it.
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proud beasts haven't trodden on it; a lion hasn't crossed over it.
9 "They put their hand to the flinty rock, and overturn mountains by the roots.
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Humans thrust their hands into flint, pull up mountains from their roots,
10 They cut out channels in the rocks, and their eyes see every precious thing.
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cut channels into rocks; their eyes see everything precious.
11 The sources of the rivers they probe; hidden things they bring to light.
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They dam up the sources of rivers; hidden things come to light.
12 "But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
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But wisdom, where can it be found; where is the place of understanding?
13 Mortals do not know the way to it, and it is not found in the land of the living.
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Humankind doesn't know its value; it isn't found in the land of the living.
14 The deep says, "It is not in me,' and the sea says, "It is not with me.'
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The Deep says, "It's not with me"; the Sea says, "Not alongside me!"
15 It cannot be gotten for gold, and silver cannot be weighed out as its price.
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It can't be bought with gold; its price can't be measured in silver,
16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.
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can't be weighed against gold from Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
17 Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
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Neither gold nor glass can compare with it; she can't be acquired with gold jewelry.
18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls.
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Coral and jasper shouldn't be mentioned; the price of wisdom is more than rubies.
19 The chrysolite of Ethiopia cannot compare with it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.
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Cushite topaz won't compare with her; she can't be set alongside pure gold.
20 "Where then does wisdom come from? And where is the place of understanding?
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But wisdom, where does she come from? Where is the place of understanding?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the birds of the air.
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She's hidden from the eyes of all the living, concealed from birds of the sky.
22 Abaddon and Death say, "We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.'
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Destruction and Death have said, "We've heard a report of her."
23 "God understands the way to it, and he knows its place.
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God understands her way; he knows her place;
24 For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under the heavens.
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for he looks to the ends of the earth and surveys everything beneath the heavens.
25 When he gave to the wind its weight, and apportioned out the waters by measure;
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In order to weigh the wind, to prepare a measure for waters,
26 when he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the thunderbolt;
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when he made a decree for the rain, a path for thunderbolts,
27 then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out.
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then he observed it, spoke of it, established it, searched it out,
28 And he said to humankind, "Truly, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.' "
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and said to humankind: "Look, the fear of the LORD is wisdom; turning from evil is understanding."
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible