King James Bible

International Standard Version

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

1"Surely there are mines for silver and places where gold is refined.

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

2Iron is taken from the ground; and copper is smelted from ore.

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

3Mankind limits the darkness as they search the deepest depths for ore in unfathomable darkness.

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

4He sinks his shaft far from human habitations, in a place forgotten by explorers; they hang on harnesses as they swing back and forth.

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

5"While the ground produces food, underneath it is torn up and burning hot,

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

6where stones are sapphire and gold dust can be found,

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

7a place where birds of prey never fly, and the eyes of the falcon have never seen.

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

8The proud beasts haven't walked there; lions have never passed over it.

9He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.

9"Using a flint, he thrusts his hand, overturning mountains by the roots.

10He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.

10He cuts a channel through the rocks, while his eyes search for anything of value.

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

11He dams up flowing rivers, bringing hidden things to light."

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

12"Where can wisdom be found? Where is understanding's home?

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

13Mankind doesn't appreciate their value; and you won't find it anywhere on earth.

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

14The deepest ocean says, 'It's not within me.' and the sea says, 'You'll never find it with me.'

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

15You can't buy it with gold, and its value cannot be calculated in silver.

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

16It cannot be compared to gold from Ophir, with precious onyx, or with sapphire.

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

17It cannot be compared to gold and fine glass crystal, nor can it be exchanged for gold-plated weaponry.

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

18Don't even bother to mention coral and crystal— wisdom is more valuable than a bag of rubies.

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

19It can neither be compared with the topaz of Ethiopia nor valued in comparison to pure gold."

20Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

20"From where, then, does wisdom originate? Where does understanding live?

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

21It has been concealed from the sight of every living creature and hidden even from the birds in the skies.

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

22Abaddon and death said, 'We did hear a rumor about it.'

23God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

23God understands how to get there; he knows where they live.

24For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

24For he looks as far as the ends of the earth and sees everything under the sky.

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

25"He imparted weight to the wind; he regulated water by his measurement.

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

26He set in place ordinances for the rain; and determined the pathway for thunder that accompanies lightning.

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

27Then he looked at wisdom, and fixed it in place; he established it, and also examined it.

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

28He has commanded mankind: 'To fear the Lord—that is wisdom; to move away from evil—that is understanding.'"

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.