Job 28:12–19

“But where shall wisdom be found?

And where is the place of understanding?

Man does not know its worth,

and it is not found in the land of the living.

The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’

and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

It cannot be bought for gold,

and silver cannot be weighed as its price.

It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,

in precious onyx or sapphire.

Gold and glass cannot equal it,

nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;

the price of wisdom is above pearls.

The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,

nor can it be valued in pure gold.

But where can wisdom be found?

Where does understanding dwell?

No mortal comprehends its worth;

it cannot be found in the land of the living.

The deep says, “It is not in me”;

the sea says, “It is not with me.”

It cannot be bought with the finest gold,

nor can its price be weighed out in silver.

It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,

with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,

nor can it be had for jewels of gold.

Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;

the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;

it cannot be bought with pure gold.

But where can wisdom be found,

and where is understanding located?

No one can know its value,

since it cannot be found in the land of the living.

The ocean depths say, “It’s not in me,”

while the sea declares, “I don’t have it.”

Gold cannot be exchanged for it,

and silver cannot be weighed out for its price.

Wisdom cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,

in precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

Gold and glass do not compare with it,

and articles of fine gold cannot be exchanged for it.

Coral and quartz are not worth mentioning.

The price of wisdom is beyond pearls.

Topaz from Cush cannot compare with it,

and it cannot be valued in pure gold.

“But do people know where to find wisdom?

Where can they find understanding?

No one knows where to find it,

for it is not found among the living.

‘It is not here,’ says the ocean.

‘Nor is it here,’ says the sea.

It cannot be bought with gold.

It cannot be purchased with silver.

It’s worth more than all the gold of Ophir,

greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal.

It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.

Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it.

The price of wisdom is far above rubies.

Precious peridot from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for it.

It’s worth more than the purest gold.

“But from where will wisdom be found?

And where in the world is the place of understanding?

A human being does not know its proper value,

and it is not found in the land of the living.

The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’

and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

“Refined gold cannot be gotten in its place,

and silver cannot be weighed out as its price.

It cannot be bought for the gold of Ophir,

for precious onyx or sapphire.

Gold and glass cannot be compared with it,

and its substitution cannot be an ornament of refined gold.

Black corals and crystal will not be mentioned,

and wisdom’s price is more than red corals.

The topaz of Cush cannot be compared with it;

it cannot be bought for pure gold.

But where shall wisdom be found?

And where is the place of understanding?

Man knoweth not the price thereof;

Neither is it found in the land of the living.

The depth saith, It is not in me:

And the sea saith, It is not with me.

It cannot be gotten for gold,

Neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir,

With the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

The gold and the crystal cannot equal it:

And the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls:

For the price of wisdom is above rubies.

The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it,

Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.