Read the Bible

¹ There are mines where silver is dug;
There are places where gold is refined.
² We dig iron out of the ground
And melt copper out of the stones.
³ Miners explore the deepest darkness.
They search the depths of the earth
And dig for rocks in the darkness.
⁴ Far from where anyone lives
Or human feet ever travel,
They dig the shafts of mines.
There they work in loneliness,
Clinging to ropes in the pits.
⁵ Food grows out of the earth,
But underneath the same earth
All is torn up and crushed.
⁶ The stones of the earth contain sapphires,
And its dust contains gold.
⁷ No hawk sees the roads to the mines,
And no vulture ever flies over them.
⁸ No lion or other fierce beast
Ever travels those lonely roads.

⁹ Miners dig the hardest rocks,
Dig mountains away at their base.
¹⁰ As they tunnel through the rocks,
They discover precious stones.
¹¹ They dig to the sources of^[b] rivers
And bring to light what is hidden.
^12 (a)But where can wisdom be found?
Where can we learn to understand?

^13 (b)Wisdom is not to be found among mortals;
No one knows its true value.
¹⁴ The depths of the oceans and seas
Say that wisdom is not found there.
¹⁵ It cannot be bought with silver or gold.
¹⁶ The finest gold and jewels
Cannot equal its value.
¹⁷ It is worth more than gold,
Than a gold vase or finest glass.
¹⁸ The value of wisdom is more
Than coral or crystal or rubies.
¹⁹ The finest topaz and the purest gold
Cannot compare with the value of wisdom.

²⁰ Where, then, is the source of wisdom?
Where can we learn to understand?
²¹ No living creature can see it,
Not even a bird in flight.
²² Even death and destruction
Admit they have heard only rumors.

^23 (c)God alone knows the way,
Knows the place where wisdom is found,
²⁴ Because he sees the ends of the earth,
Sees everything under the sky.
²⁵ When God gave the wind its power
And determined the size of the sea;
²⁶ When God decided where the rain would fall,
And the path that the thunderclouds travel;
^27 (d)It was then he saw wisdom and tested its worth—
He gave it his approval.

^28 (e)God said to us humans,
"To be wise, you must have reverence for the Lord.
To understand, you must turn from evil."