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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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