智慧頌
1「銀從礦中採取，
金有冶煉之地，
2鐵從地下挖掘，
銅從石中提煉。
3世人探尋黑暗的盡頭，
搜索幽暗的深處，
要得隱藏的礦石。
4他們在杳無人煙、人蹤絕跡之地開礦，
他們遠離人群，懸在半空搖來搖去。
5大地出產糧食，
地下烈火熊熊。
6地下的石頭出藍寶石，
還蘊藏著金沙。
7礦中的路徑，猛禽不知道，
鷹眼也未曾見過，
8猛獸未曾踏足，
獅子未曾經過。
9世人開鑿堅石，
翻動山的根基，
10在岩石中鑿通道，
一覽各樣的寶藏。
11他們把水流截斷，
使隱藏之物顯露。
12「然而，智慧何處尋？
聰明之道在哪裡？
13無人知道智慧的價值，
人世間找不到她。
14深淵說，『她不在我裡面。』
海洋說，『她不在我這裡。』
15金子買不到她，
銀子換不來她；
16俄斐的金子無法與她相比，
紅瑪瑙和藍寶石不能與她媲美；
17黃金和水晶無法與她相比，
純金的器皿不能與她兌換；
18珊瑚和碧玉不能與她相提並論，
紅寶石的價值遠不如她；
19古實的黃玉無法與她相比，
純金不能與她等量齊觀。
20「然而，智慧何處尋？
聰明之道在哪裡？
21眾生的眼睛看不見她，
空中的飛鳥找不到她。
22毀滅和死亡說，
『我們只風聞其名。』
23上帝認識通往智慧的路，
祂知道智慧在哪裡，
24因祂縱覽地極，
遍察天下萬物。
25祂定下風的重量，
量出水的規模；
26祂頒佈雨露的規律，
劃定雷電的路線。
27那時祂已看見智慧，並評估她，
堅立她，探察她。
28祂對世人說，『敬畏主就是智慧，
遠離惡便是聰明。』」
The Place Where Wisdom Is Found Is Explained
1There are mines where silver is found.
There are places where gold is purified.
2Iron is taken out of the earth.
Copper is melted down from ore.
3Human beings light up the darkness.
They search for ore in the deepest pits.
They look for it in the blackest darkness.
4Far from where people live they cut a tunnel.
They do it in places where other people don’t go.
Far away from people they swing back and forth on ropes.
5Food grows on the surface of the earth.
But far below, the earth is changed as if by fire.
6Lapis lazuli is taken from the rocky earth.
Its dust contains nuggets of gold.
7No bird knows that hidden path.
No falcon’s eye has seen it.
8Proud animals don’t walk on it.
Lions don’t prowl there.
9Human hands attack the hardest rock.
Their strong hands uncover the base of the mountains.
10They tunnel through the rock.
Their eyes see all its treasures.
11They search the places where the rivers begin.
They bring hidden things out into the light.
12But where can wisdom be found?
Where does understanding live?
13No human being understands how much it’s worth.
It can’t be found anywhere in the world.
14The ocean says, “It’s not in me.”
The sea says, “It’s not here either.”
15It can’t be bought with the finest gold.
Its price can’t be weighed out in silver.
16It can’t be bought with gold from Ophir.
It can’t be bought with priceless onyx or lapis lazuli.
17Gold or crystal can’t compare with it.
It can’t be bought with jewels made of gold.
18Don’t bother to talk about coral and jasper.
Wisdom is worth far more than rubies.
19A topaz from Cush can’t compare with it.
It can’t be bought with the purest gold.
20So where does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding live?
21It’s hidden from the eyes of every living thing.
Even the birds in the sky can’t find it.
22Death and the Grave say,
“Only reports about it have reached our ears.”
23But God understands the way to it.
He is the only one who knows where it lives.
24He sees from one end of the earth to the other.
He views everything in the world.
25He made the mighty wind.
He measured out the waters.
26He gave orders for the rain to fall.
He made paths for the thunderstorms.
27Then he looked at wisdom and set its price.
He established it and tested it.
28He said to human beings,
“Have respect for the Lord. That will prove you are wise.
Avoid evil. That will show you have understanding.”
