Where Can Wisdom Be Found?

1For there is a going forth for silver, and a place for gold they will purify it.

2Iron shall be taken from the dust, and stone will pour out brass.

3He set an end to darkness, and he searched out for all completeness: the stone of darkness and the shadow of death.

4The torrent broke out from the sojourner; being forgotten of the foot, they were weak, they wandered from men.

5The earth, from it will come forth bread, and under it was turned as fire.

6Its stones the place of the sapphire, and dust gold to it.

7A beaten path the birds knew not, and the vulture's eye scanned it not:

8The sons of pride trod it not, and the lion passed not by upon it.

9He stretched forth his hand upon the flint; he overturned the mountains from the roots.

10He cut rivers in the rocks, and his eye saw every precious thing.

11He bound the rivers from weeping, and he will bring forth the hidden thing to light.

12And from whence shall wisdom be found? and where this place of understanding?

13And man knew not its estimation, and it shall not be found in the land of the living.

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

15Shut up gold shall not be given for it, and silver shall not be weighed its price.

16It shall not be weighed with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, and the sapphire.

17Gold and crystal shall not compare with it, and its exchange, vessels of pure gold.

18High things, and crystal, shall not be remembered: and the drawing out of wisdom above pearls.

19The topaz of Cush shall not compare with it; with pure gold it shall not be weighed.

20And from whence shall wisdom come? and where this place of understanding?

21And being hid from the eyes of all living, and covered from the birds of the heavens.

22Destruction and death said, We heard its report with our ears:

23God understood its way, and he knew its place.

24For he will look to the ends of the earth, he will see under all the heavens;

25To make the weight for the wind; and he weighed the waters by measure.

26In his making a law for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the voices.

27Then he saw, and he will recount it; he prepared it, and also he searched it out.

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