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"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold that they 1refine.
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Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from the ore.
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Man puts an end to darkness and searches out to the farthest limit the ore in 2gloom and 3deep darkness.
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He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives; they are forgotten by travelers; they hang in the air, far away from mankind; they swing to and fro.
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As for the earth, 4out of it comes bread, but underneath it is turned up as by fire.
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Its stones are the place of 5sapphires, and it has dust of gold.
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"That path no bird of prey knows, and the falcon's eye has not seen it.
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6The proud beasts have not trodden it; 7the lion has not passed over it.
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"Man puts his hand to 8the flinty rock and overturns mountains by the roots.
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He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing.
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He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle, and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
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9"But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
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Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in 10the land of the living.
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11The deep says, 'It is not in me,' and the sea says, 'It is not with me.'
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It 12cannot be bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price.
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It cannot be valued in 13the gold of 14Ophir, in precious 15onyx or 16sapphire.
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Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
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No mention shall be made of 17coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls.
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18The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.
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"From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?
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It is hidden from the eyes of 19all living and concealed from the birds of the air.
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20Abaddon and Death say, 'We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.'
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21"God understands the way to it, and he knows its place.
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For he 22looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
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When he 23gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure,
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when he made a decree for the rain and 24a way for the lightning of the thunder,
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then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out.
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And he said to man, 'Behold, 25the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to 26turn away from evil is understanding.'"