Job 28:12–28

¹²“And where can wisdom be found?

Where does understanding live?

¹³No one knows how much it’s worth.

It can’t be found anywhere in the world.

¹⁴The ocean says, ‘It’s not in me.’

The sea says, ‘It’s not here either.’

¹⁵It can’t be bought with the finest gold.

Its price can’t be weighed out in silver.

¹⁶It can’t be bought with gold from Ophir.

It can’t be bought with priceless onyx or sapphires.

¹⁷Gold or crystal can’t compare with it.

It can’t be bought with jewels made of gold.

¹⁸Don’t bother to talk about coral and jasper.

Wisdom is worth far more than rubies.

¹⁹A topaz from Cush can’t compare with it.

It can’t be bought with the purest gold.

²⁰“So where does wisdom come from?

Where does understanding live?

²¹It’s hidden from the eyes of every living thing.

Even the birds of the air can’t find it.

²²Death and the Grave say,

‘Only reports about it have reached our ears.’

²³But God understands the way to it.

He’s the only one who knows where it lives.

²⁴He sees from one end of the earth to the other.

He views everything in the world.

²⁵He made the mighty wind.

He measured out the waters.

²⁶He gave orders for the rain to fall.

He made paths for the thunderstorms.

²⁷Then he looked at wisdom and set its price.

He established it and put it to the test.

²⁸He said to human beings,

‘Have respect for me. That will prove you are wise.

Avoid evil. That will show you have understanding.’ ”