1 Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;

1 כִּ֤י יֵ֣שׁ לַכֶּ֣סֶף מֹוצָ֑א וּ֝מָקֹ֗ום לַזָּהָ֥ב יָזֹֽקּוּ׃

2 Iron from the dust is taken, And `from' the firm stone brass.

2 בַּ֭רְזֶל מֵעָפָ֣ר יֻקָּ֑ח וְ֝אֶ֗בֶן יָצ֥וּק נְחוּשָֽׁה׃

3 An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade.

3 קֵ֤ץ׀ שָׂ֤ם לַחֹ֗שֶׁךְ וּֽלְכָל־תַּ֭כְלִית ה֣וּא חֹוקֵ֑ר אֶ֖בֶן אֹ֣פֶל וְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃

4 A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.

4 פָּ֤רַץ נַ֨חַל׀ מֵֽעִם־גָּ֗ר הַֽנִּשְׁכָּחִ֥ים מִנִּי־רָ֑גֶל דַּ֖לּוּ מֵאֱנֹ֣ושׁ נָֽעוּ׃

5 The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire.

5 אֶ֗רֶץ מִמֶּ֥נָּה יֵֽצֵא־לָ֑חֶם וְ֝תַחְתֶּ֗יהָ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ כְּמֹו־אֵֽשׁ׃

6 A place of the sapphire `are' its stones, And it hath dust of gold.

6 מְקֹום־סַפִּ֥יר אֲבָנֶ֑יהָ וְעַפְרֹ֖ת זָהָ֣ב לֹֽו׃

7 A path -- not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,

7 נָ֭תִיב לֹֽא־יְדָ֣עֹו עָ֑יִט וְלֹ֥א זָפַ֗תּוּ עֵ֣ין אַיָּֽה׃

8 Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.

8 לֹֽא־הִדְרִיכֻ֥הוּ בְנֵי־שָׁ֑חַץ לֹֽא־עָדָ֖ה עָלָ֣יו שָֽׁחַל׃

9 Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.

9 בַּֽ֭חַלָּמִישׁ שָׁלַ֣ח יָדֹ֑ו הָפַ֖ךְ מִשֹּׁ֣רֶשׁ הָרִֽים׃

10 Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.

10 בַּ֭צּוּרֹות יְאֹרִ֣ים בִּקֵּ֑עַ וְכָל־יְ֝קָ֗ר רָאֲתָ֥ה עֵינֹֽו׃

11 From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out `to' light.

11 מִ֭בְּכִי נְהָרֹ֣ות חִבֵּ֑שׁ וְ֝תַעֲלֻמָ֗הּ יֹ֣צִא אֹֽור׃

12 And the wisdom -- whence is it found? And where `is' this, the place of understanding?

12 וְֽ֭הַחָכְמָה מֵאַ֣יִן תִּמָּצֵ֑א וְאֵ֥י זֶ֝ה³ מְקֹ֣ום בִּינָֽה׃

13 Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.

13 לֹא־יָדַ֣ע אֱנֹ֣ושׁ עֶרְכָּ֑הּ וְלֹ֥א תִ֝מָּצֵ֗א בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַֽחַיִּֽים׃

14 The deep hath said, `It `is' not in me,' And the sea hath said, `It is not with me.'

14 תְּהֹ֣ום אָ֭מַר לֹ֣א בִי־הִ֑יא וְיָ֥ם אָ֝מַ֗ר אֵ֣ין עִמָּדִֽי׃

15 Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed -- its price.

15 לֹא־יֻתַּ֣ן סְגֹ֣ור תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ וְלֹ֥א יִ֝שָּׁקֵ֗ל כֶּ֣סֶף מְחִירָֽהּ׃

16 It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,

16 לֹֽא־תְ֭סֻלֶּה בְּכֶ֣תֶם אֹופִ֑יר בְּשֹׁ֖הַם יָקָ֣ר וְסַפִּֽיר׃

17 Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor `is' its exchange a vessel of fine gold.

17 לֹא־יַעַרְכֶ֣נָּה זָ֭הָב וּזְכֹוכִ֑ית וּתְמ֖וּרָתָ֣הּ כְּלִי־פָֽז׃

18 Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom `is' above rubies.

18 רָאמֹ֣ות וְ֭גָבִישׁ לֹ֣א יִזָּכֵ֑ר וּמֶ֥שֶׁךְ חָ֝כְמָ֗ה מִפְּנִינִֽים׃

19 Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.

19 לֹֽא־יַ֭עַרְכֶנָּה פִּטְדַת־כּ֑וּשׁ בְּכֶ֥תֶם טָ֝הֹ֗ור לֹ֣א תְסֻלֶּֽה׃

20 And the wisdom -- whence doth it come? And where `is' this, the place of understanding?

20 וְֽ֭הַחָכְמָה מֵאַ֣יִן תָּבֹ֑וא וְאֵ֥י זֶ֝֗ה מְקֹ֣ום בִּינָֽה׃

21 It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden.

21 וְֽ֭נֶעֶלְמָה מֵעֵינֵ֣י כָל־חָ֑י וּמֵעֹ֖וף הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם נִסְתָּֽרָה׃

22 Destruction and death have said: `With our ears we have heard its fame.'

22 אֲבַדֹּ֣ון וָ֭מָוֶת אָ֣מְר֑וּ בְּ֝אָזְנֵ֗ינוּ שָׁמַ֥עְנוּ שִׁמְעָֽהּ׃

23 God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.

23 אֱ֭לֹהִים הֵבִ֣ין דַּרְכָּ֑הּ וְ֝ה֗וּא יָדַ֥ע אֶת־מְקֹומָֽהּ׃

24 For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,

24 כִּי־ה֖וּא לִקְצֹות־הָאָ֣רֶץ יַבִּ֑יט תַּ֖חַת כָּל־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִרְאֶֽה׃

25 To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure.

25 לַעֲשֹׂ֣ות לָר֣וּחַ מִשְׁקָ֑ל וּ֝מַ֗יִם תִּכֵּ֥ן בְּמִדָּֽה׃

26 In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,

26 בַּעֲשׂתֹ֣ו לַמָּטָ֣ר חֹ֑ק וְ֝דֶ֗רֶךְ לַחֲזִ֥יז קֹלֹֽות׃

27 Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out,

27 אָ֣ז רָ֭אָהּ וַֽיְסַפְּרָ֑הּ הֱ֝כִינָ֗הּ וְגַם־חֲקָרָֽהּ׃

28 And He saith to man: -- `Lo, fear of the Lord, that `is' wisdom, And to turn from evil `is' understanding.'

28 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר׀ לָֽאָדָ֗ם הֵ֤ן יִרְאַ֣ת אֲ֭דֹנָי הִ֣יא חָכְמָ֑ה וְס֖וּר מֵרָ֣ע בִּינָֽה׃