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.
20. “Where does wisdom come from?Where does understanding live?
21. It is hidden from the eyes of every living being,hidden even from the birds in the air.
22. Decay and Death say,‘We’ve heard a rumor about it.’
23. “God understands the way to it.He knows where it lives
24. because he can see to the ends of the earthand observe everything under heaven.