The Earth's Treasures

1Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.

2Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.

3He sets an end to darkness, and searches out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.

4The flood breaks out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.

5As for the earth, out of it comes bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.

6The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it has dust of gold.

7There is a path which no fowl knows, and which the vulture's eye has not seen:

8The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.

9He puts forth his hand on the rock; he overturns the mountains by the roots.

10He cuts out rivers among the rocks; and his eye sees every precious thing.

11He binds the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid brings he forth to light.

Wisdom an Excellent Gift of God

12But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

13Man knows not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

14The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.

15It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

16It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

17The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

18No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

19The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

20From where then comes wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

21Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

22Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

23God understands the way thereof, and he knows the place thereof.

24For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole heaven;

25To make the weight for the winds; and he weighs the waters by measure.

26When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

27Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yes, and searched it out.

28And to man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.