| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. | 1"Surely there are mines for silver and places where gold is refined. |
| 2Iron is taken from the ground, and copper is smelted from ore. | 2Iron is taken from the ground; and copper is smelted from ore. |
| 3A miner puts an end to the darkness; he probes the deepest recesses for ore in the gloomy darkness. | 3Mankind limits the darkness as they search the deepest depths for ore in unfathomable darkness. |
| 4He cuts a shaft far from human habitation, in places unknown to those who walk above ground. Suspended far away from people, the miners swing back and forth. | 4He sinks his shaft far from human habitations, in a place forgotten by explorers; they hang on harnesses as they swing back and forth. |
| 5Food may come from the earth, but below the surface the earth is transformed as by fire. | 5"While the ground produces food, underneath it is torn up and burning hot, |
| 6Its rocks are a source of sapphire, containing flecks of gold. | 6where stones are sapphire and gold dust can be found, |
| 7No bird of prey knows that path; no falcon's eye has seen it. | 7a place where birds of prey never fly, and the eyes of the falcon have never seen. |
| 8Proud beasts have never walked on it; no lion has ever prowled over it. | 8The proud beasts haven't walked there; lions have never passed over it. |
| 9The miner strikes the flint and transforms the mountains at their foundations. | 9"Using a flint, he thrusts his hand, overturning mountains by the roots. |
| 10He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eyes spot every treasure. | 10He cuts a channel through the rocks, while his eyes search for anything of value. |
| 11He dams up the streams from flowing so that he may bring to light what is hidden. | 11He dams up flowing rivers, bringing hidden things to light." |
| 12But where can wisdom be found, and where is understanding located? | 12"Where can wisdom be found? Where is understanding's home? |
| 13No man can know its value, since it cannot be found in the land of the living. | 13Mankind doesn't appreciate their value; and you won't find it anywhere on earth. |
| 14The ocean depths say, "It's not in me," while the sea declares, "I don't have it." | 14The deepest ocean says, 'It's not within me.' and the sea says, 'You'll never find it with me.' |
| 15Gold cannot be exchanged for it, and silver cannot be weighed out for its price. | 15You can't buy it with gold, and its value cannot be calculated in silver. |
| 16Wisdom cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. | 16It cannot be compared to gold from Ophir, with precious onyx, or with sapphire. |
| 17Gold and glass do not compare with it, and articles of fine gold cannot be exchanged for it. | 17It cannot be compared to gold and fine glass crystal, nor can it be exchanged for gold-plated weaponry. |
| 18Coral and quartz are not worth mentioning. The price of wisdom is beyond pearls. | 18Don't even bother to mention coral and crystal— wisdom is more valuable than a bag of rubies. |
| 19Topaz from Cush cannot compare with it, and it cannot be valued in pure gold. | 19It can neither be compared with the topaz of Ethiopia nor valued in comparison to pure gold." |
| 20Where then does wisdom come from, and where is understanding located? | 20"From where, then, does wisdom originate? Where does understanding live? |
| 21It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the sky. | 21It has been concealed from the sight of every living creature and hidden even from the birds in the skies. |
| 22Abaddon and Death say, "We have heard news of it with our ears." | 22Abaddon and death said, 'We did hear a rumor about it.' |
| 23But God understands the way to wisdom, and He knows its location. | 23God understands how to get there; he knows where they live. |
| 24For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. | 24For he looks as far as the ends of the earth and sees everything under the sky. |
| 25When God fixed the weight of the wind and limited the water by measure, | 25"He imparted weight to the wind; he regulated water by his measurement. |
| 26when He established a limit for the rain and a path for the lightning, | 26He set in place ordinances for the rain; and determined the pathway for thunder that accompanies lightning. |
| 27He considered wisdom and evaluated it; He established it and examined it. | 27Then he looked at wisdom, and fixed it in place; he established it, and also examined it. |
| 28He said to mankind, "The fear of the Lord is this: wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding." | 28He has commanded mankind: 'To fear the Lord—that is wisdom; to move away from evil—that is understanding.'" |
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