| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. | 1Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. |
| 2Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore. | 2Iron is taken from the ground, and copper is smelted from ore. |
| 3Mortals put an end to the darkness; they search out the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness. | 3A miner puts an end to the darkness; he probes the deepest recesses for ore in the gloomy darkness. |
| 4Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft, in places untouched by human feet; far from other people they dangle and sway. | 4He cuts a shaft far from human habitation, in places unknown to those who walk above ground. Suspended far away from people, the miners swing back and forth. |
| 5The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire; | 5Food may come from the earth, but below the surface the earth is transformed as by fire. |
| 6lapis lazuli comes from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold. | 6Its rocks are a source of sapphire, containing flecks of gold. |
| 7No bird of prey knows that hidden path, no falcon's eye has seen it. | 7No bird of prey knows that path; no falcon's eye has seen it. |
| 8Proud beasts do not set foot on it, and no lion prowls there. | 8Proud beasts have never walked on it; no lion has ever prowled over it. |
| 9People assault the flinty rock with their hands and lay bare the roots of the mountains. | 9The miner strikes the flint and transforms the mountains at their foundations. |
| 10They tunnel through the rock; their eyes see all its treasures. | 10He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eyes spot every treasure. |
| 11They search the sources of the rivers and bring hidden things to light. | 11He dams up the streams from flowing so that he may bring to light what is hidden. |
| 12But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? | 12But where can wisdom be found, and where is understanding located? |
| 13No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living. | 13No man can know its value, since it cannot be found in the land of the living. |
| 14The deep says, "It is not in me"; the sea says, "It is not with me." | 14The ocean depths say, "It's not in me," while the sea declares, "I don't have it." |
| 15It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver. | 15Gold cannot be exchanged for it, and silver cannot be weighed out for its price. |
| 16It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli. | 16Wisdom cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. |
| 17Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold. | 17Gold and glass do not compare with it, and articles of fine gold cannot be exchanged for it. |
| 18Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies. | 18Coral and quartz are not worth mentioning. The price of wisdom is beyond pearls. |
| 19The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it; it cannot be bought with pure gold. | 19Topaz from Cush cannot compare with it, and it cannot be valued in pure gold. |
| 20Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? | 20Where then does wisdom come from, and where is understanding located? |
| 21It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds in the sky. | 21It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the sky. |
| 22Destruction and Death say, "Only a rumor of it has reached our ears." | 22Abaddon and Death say, "We have heard news of it with our ears." |
| 23God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, | 23But God understands the way to wisdom, and He knows its location. |
| 24for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. | 24For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. |
| 25When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters, | 25When God fixed the weight of the wind and limited the water by measure, |
| 26when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, | 26when He established a limit for the rain and a path for the lightning, |
| 27then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it. | 27He considered wisdom and evaluated it; He established it and examined it. |
| 28And he said to the human race, "The fear of the Lord--that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding." | 28He said to mankind, "The fear of the Lord is this: wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding." |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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