15“Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it,
         Nor can silver be weighed as its price.

16“It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
         In precious onyx, or sapphire.

17“Gold or glass cannot equal it,
         Nor can it be exchanged for articles of fine gold.

18“Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned;
         And the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls.

19“The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
         Nor can it be valued in pure gold.

20“Where then does wisdom come from?
         And where is the place of understanding?

21“Thus it is hidden from the eyes of all living
         And concealed from the birds of the sky.

22“Abaddon and Death say,
         ‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’

23“God understands its way,
         And He knows its place.

24“For He looks to the ends of the earth
         And sees everything under the heavens.

25“When He imparted weight to the wind
         And meted out the waters by measure,

26When He set a limit for the rain
         And a course for the thunderbolt,

27Then He saw it and declared it;
         He established it and also searched it out.

28“And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
         And to depart from evil is understanding.’”

NASB ©1995