1“It is true that there are places where men dig to find silver, and there are places where people refine/purify gold that they have dug.
2People dig iron ore out of the ground, and they ◄smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it►.
3Men use lamps while they work far down under the ground to search for the ore inside the mines where it is very dark.
4They dig ◄shafts/narrow holes very deep down into the ground► in places that are far from where people live, where travelers do not go. They work far away from other people, swinging back and forth on ropes as they descend into the mine shafts.
5Food grows on the surface of the ground, but down under the ground, where there is no food, the miners make fires to break apart the rocks.
6The stones that are dug from under the ground contain ◄sapphires/very valuable blue stones►, and the dirt contains bits of gold.
7Some birds have very good eyes, but even hawks do not know where the mines are, and falcons/vultures have not seen those places.
8Lions or other proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
9Miners tear apart MTY very hard rock; it is as though they turn the mountains upside down to get the ore.
10They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find ◄precious/very valuable► things.
11They dam up small streams in order that water does not flow, and they bring up into the light valuable things that are hidden in the ground and in the streams.
12But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
13Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it here on this earth where they are living.
14It is as though water that is deep inside the earth and water that is in the seas say PRS, ‘Wisdom is not here!’
15People cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
16Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir land or other very valuable stones.
17It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
18Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
19The prices of ◄topaz/very valuable yellow stones► from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
20So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
21No living humans can see it MTY; and birds cannot see it while they are flying MTY.
22It is as though the places where people go after they die say PRS, ‘We have only heard rumors about where to find wisdom.’
23God is the only one who knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
24because he can see things even in the most remote/distant places on the earth; he can see everything that is below the sky.
25When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
26and when he decided where rain should fall, and what path lightning should take from the clouds down to the ground,
27at that time he saw wisdom and decided that it is extremely valuable. He examined it and ◄approved it/said that it was very good►.
28And then he said to humans, ‘Listen! To have an awesome respect for me is what will enable you to become wise; and to truly understand everything, you must first turn away from doing what is evil.’”
