| 1 | Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine; |
| 2 | Iron from the dust is taken, And [from] the firm stone brass. |
| 3 | An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade. |
| 4 | A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered. |
| 5 | The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire. |
| 6 | A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it hath dust of gold. |
| 7 | A path -- not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite, |
| 8 | Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion. |
| 9 | Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains. |
| 10 | Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen. |
| 11 | From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out [to] light. |
| 12 | And the wisdom -- whence is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding? |
| 13 | Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living. |
| 14 | The deep hath said, `It [is] not in me,` And the sea hath said, `It is not with me.` |
| 15 | Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed -- its price. |
| 16 | It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire, |
| 17 | Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor [is] its exchange a vessel of fine gold. |
| 18 | Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom [is] above rubies. |
| 19 | Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued. |
| 20 | And the wisdom -- whence doth it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding? |
| 21 | It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden. |
| 22 | Destruction and death have said: `With our ears we have heard its fame.` |
| 23 | God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place. |
| 24 | For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see, |
| 25 | To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure. |
| 26 | In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices, |
| 27 | Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out, |
| 28 | And He saith to man: -- `Lo, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.` |
