Read the Bible

¹ "People know where to mine silver
    and how to refine gold.
² They know where to dig iron from the earth
    and how to smelt copper from rock.
³ They know how to shine light in the darkness
    and explore the farthest regions of the earth
    as they search in the dark for ore.
⁴ They sink a mine shaft into the earth
    far from where anyone lives.
    They descend on ropes, swinging back and forth.
⁵ Food is grown on the earth above,
    but down below, the earth is melted as by fire.
⁶ Here the rocks contain precious lapis lazuli,
    and the dust contains gold.
⁷ These are treasures no bird of prey can see,
    no falcon's eye observe.
⁸ No wild animal has walked upon these treasures;
    no lion has ever set his paw there.
⁹ People know how to tear apart flinty rocks
    and overturn the roots of mountains.
¹⁰ They cut tunnels in the rocks
    and uncover precious stones.
¹¹ They dam up the trickling streams
    and bring to light the hidden treasures.

¹² "But do people know where to find wisdom?
    Where can they find understanding?
¹³ No one knows where to find it,^[a]
    for it is not found among the living.
¹⁴ ‘It is not here,' says the ocean.
    ‘Nor is it here,' says the sea.
¹⁵ It cannot be bought with gold.
    It cannot be purchased with silver.
¹⁶ It's worth more than all the gold of Ophir,
    greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
¹⁷ Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal.
    It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.
¹⁸ Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it.
    The price of wisdom is far above rubies.
¹⁹ Precious peridot from Ethiopia^[b] cannot be exchanged for it.
    It's worth more than the purest gold.

²⁰ "But do people know where to find wisdom?
    Where can they find understanding?
²¹ It is hidden from the eyes of all humanity.
    Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it.
²² Destruction^[c] and Death say,
    ‘We've heard only rumors of where wisdom can be found.'

²³ "God alone understands the way to wisdom;
    he knows where it can be found,
²⁴ for he looks throughout the whole earth
    and sees everything under the heavens.
²⁵ He decided how hard the winds should blow
    and how much rain should fall.
²⁶ He made the laws for the rain
    and laid out a path for the lightning.
²⁷ Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it.
    He set it in place and examined it thoroughly.
²⁸ And this is what he says to all humanity:
‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom;
    to forsake evil is real understanding.'"