4. They open up a mineshaft far from civilization,where no one has set foot.⌊In this shaft⌋ men dangle and swing back and forth.
5. “Above the ground food grows,but beneath it the food decays as if ⌊it were burned⌋ by fire.
6. That place’s stones are sapphire.Its dust contains gold.
7. No bird of prey knows the way to it.No hawk’s eye has ever seen it.
8. No proud beast has ever walked on it.No ferocious lion has ever passed over it.
9. “Humans exert their power on the flinty rocksand overturn mountains at their base.
10. They cut out mineshafts in the rocks.Their eyes see every precious thing.
11. They explore the sources of riversso that they bring hidden treasures to light.
12. “Where can wisdom be found?Where does understanding live?
13. No mortal knows where it is.It cannot be found in this world of the living.
14. The deep ocean says, ‘It isn’t in me.’The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’
15. You cannot obtain it with solid goldor buy it for any amount of silver.
16. It can’t be bought with the gold from Ophiror with precious onyx or sapphire.
17. Neither gold nor glass can equal its value.Nor can gold ornaments, jewels, or crystal
18. be exchanged for it.Wisdom is more valuable than gems.
19. Topaz from Ethiopia cannot equal its value.It cannot be bought for ⌊any amount of⌋ pure gold.