28 Surely
there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it. 2 Iron
is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone. 3 He
setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones
of darkness, and the shadow of death. 4 The
flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the
foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men. 5 As
for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it
were fire. 6 The
stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold. 7 There
is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not
seen: 8 The
lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it. 9 He
putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by
the roots. 10 He
cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing. 11 He
bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth
he forth to light. 12 But
where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? 13 Man
knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the
living. 14 The
depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
15
It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price
thereof. 16 It
cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the
sapphire. 17 The
gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be
for jewels of fine gold. 18 No
mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is
above rubies. 19 The
topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure
gold. 20 Whence
then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? 21 Seeing
it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of
the air. 22 Destruction
and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears. 23 God
understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. 24 For
he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; 25 To
make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure. 26 When
he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder: 27 Then
did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out. 28 And
unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart
from evil is understanding.