New Living Translation

Hebrew Study Bible

1“People know where to mine silver and how to refine gold.

1כִּ֤י יֵ֣שׁ לַכֶּ֣סֶף מוֹצָ֑א וּ֝מָק֗וֹם לַזָּהָ֥ב יָזֹֽקּוּ׃

2They know where to dig iron from the earth and how to smelt copper from rock.

2בַּ֭רְזֶל מֵעָפָ֣ר יֻקָּ֑ח וְ֝אֶ֗בֶן יָצ֥וּק נְחוּשָֽׁה׃

3They know how to shine light in the darkness and explore the farthest regions of the earth as they search in the dark for ore.

3קֵ֤ץ ׀ שָׂ֤ם לַחֹ֗שֶׁךְ וּֽלְכָל־ תַּ֭כְלִית ה֣וּא חוֹקֵ֑ר אֶ֖בֶן אֹ֣פֶל וְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃

4They sink a mine shaft into the earth far from where anyone lives. They descend on ropes, swinging back and forth.

4פָּ֤רַץ נַ֨חַל ׀ מֵֽעִם־ גָּ֗ר הַֽנִּשְׁכָּחִ֥ים מִנִּי־ רָ֑גֶל דַּ֖לּוּ מֵאֱנ֣וֹשׁ נָֽעוּ׃

5Food is grown on the earth above, but down below, the earth is melted as by fire.

5אֶ֗רֶץ מִמֶּ֥נָּה יֵֽצֵא־ לָ֑חֶם וְ֝תַחְתֶּ֗יהָ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ כְּמוֹ־ אֵֽשׁ׃

6Here the rocks contain precious lapis lazuli, and the dust contains gold.

6מְקוֹם־ סַפִּ֥יר אֲבָנֶ֑יהָ וְעַפְרֹ֖ת זָהָ֣ב לֽוֹ׃

7These are treasures no bird of prey can see, no falcon’s eye observe.

7נָ֭תִיב לֹֽא־ יְדָ֣עוֹ עָ֑יִט וְלֹ֥א שְׁ֝זָפַ֗תּוּ עֵ֣ין אַיָּֽה׃

8No wild animal has walked upon these treasures; no lion has ever set his paw there.

8לֹֽא־ הִדְרִיכֻ֥הוּ בְנֵי־ שָׁ֑חַץ לֹֽא־ עָדָ֖ה עָלָ֣יו שָֽׁחַל׃

9People know how to tear apart flinty rocks and overturn the roots of mountains.

9בַּֽ֭חַלָּמִישׁ שָׁלַ֣ח יָד֑וֹ הָפַ֖ךְ מִשֹּׁ֣רֶשׁ הָרִֽים׃

10They cut tunnels in the rocks and uncover precious stones.

10בַּ֭צּוּרוֹת יְאֹרִ֣ים בִּקֵּ֑עַ וְכָל־ יְ֝קָ֗ר רָאֲתָ֥ה עֵינֽוֹ׃

11They dam up the trickling streams and bring to light the hidden treasures.

11מִ֭בְּכִי נְהָר֣וֹת חִבֵּ֑שׁ וְ֝תַעֲלֻמָ֗הּ‪‬ יֹ֣צִא אֽוֹר׃ פ

12“But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?

12וְֽ֭הַחָכְמָה מֵאַ֣יִן תִּמָּצֵ֑א וְאֵ֥י זֶ֝ה מְק֣וֹם בִּינָֽה׃

13No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living.

13לֹא־ יָדַ֣ע אֱנ֣וֹשׁ עֶרְכָּ֑הּ וְלֹ֥א תִ֝מָּצֵ֗א בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַֽחַיִּֽים׃

14‘It is not here,’ says the ocean. ‘Nor is it here,’ says the sea.

14תְּה֣וֹם אָ֭מַר לֹ֣א בִי־ הִ֑יא וְיָ֥ם אָ֝מַ֗ר אֵ֣ין עִמָּדִֽי׃

15It cannot be bought with gold. It cannot be purchased with silver.

15לֹא־ יֻתַּ֣ן סְג֣וֹר תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ וְלֹ֥א יִ֝שָּׁקֵ֗ל כֶּ֣סֶף מְחִירָֽהּ׃

16It’s worth more than all the gold of Ophir, greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

16לֹֽא־ תְ֭סֻלֶּה בְּכֶ֣תֶם אוֹפִ֑יר בְּשֹׁ֖הַם יָקָ֣ר וְסַפִּֽיר׃

17Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.

17לֹא־ יַעַרְכֶ֣נָּה זָ֭הָב וּזְכוֹכִ֑ית וּתְמ֖וּרָתָ֣הּ כְּלִי־ פָֽז׃

18Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it. The price of wisdom is far above rubies.

18רָאמ֣וֹת וְ֭גָבִישׁ לֹ֣א יִזָּכֵ֑ר וּמֶ֥שֶׁךְ חָ֝כְמָ֗ה מִפְּנִינִֽים׃

19Precious peridot from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for it. It’s worth more than the purest gold.

19לֹֽא־ יַ֭עַרְכֶנָּה פִּטְדַת־ כּ֑וּשׁ בְּכֶ֥תֶם טָ֝ה֗וֹר לֹ֣א תְסֻלֶּֽה׃ פ

20“But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?

20וְֽ֭הַחָכְמָה מֵאַ֣יִן תָּב֑וֹא וְאֵ֥י זֶ֝֗ה מְק֣וֹם בִּינָֽה׃

21It is hidden from the eyes of all humanity. Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it.

21וְֽ֭נֶעֶלְמָה מֵעֵינֵ֣י כָל־ חָ֑י וּמֵע֖וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם נִסְתָּֽרָה׃

22Destruction and Death say, ‘We’ve heard only rumors of where wisdom can be found.’

22אֲבַדּ֣וֹן וָ֭מָוֶת אָ֣מְר֑וּ בְּ֝אָזְנֵ֗ינוּ שָׁמַ֥עְנוּ שִׁמְעָֽהּ׃

23“God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found,

23אֱ֭לֹהִים הֵבִ֣ין דַּרְכָּ֑הּ וְ֝ה֗וּא יָדַ֥ע אֶת־ מְקוֹמָֽהּ׃

24for he looks throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens.

24כִּי־ ה֭וּא לִקְצוֹת־ הָאָ֣רֶץ יַבִּ֑יט תַּ֖חַת כָּל־ הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִרְאֶֽה׃

25He decided how hard the winds should blow and how much rain should fall.

25לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לָר֣וּחַ מִשְׁקָ֑ל וּ֝מַ֗יִם תִּכֵּ֥ן בְּמִדָּֽה׃

26He made the laws for the rain and laid out a path for the lightning.

26בַּעֲשֹׂת֣וֹ‪‬ לַמָּטָ֣ר חֹ֑ק וְ֝דֶ֗רֶךְ לַחֲזִ֥יז קֹלֽוֹת׃

27Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it. He set it in place and examined it thoroughly.

27אָ֣ז רָ֭אָהּ וַֽיְסַפְּרָ֑הּ הֱ֝כִינָ֗הּ וְגַם־ חֲקָרָֽהּ׃

28And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’”

28וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ׀ לָֽאָדָ֗ם הֵ֤ן יִרְאַ֣ת אֲ֭דֹנָי הִ֣יא חָכְמָ֑ה וְס֖וּר מֵרָ֣ע בִּינָֽה׃ ס

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.