¹³ Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.

¹⁵ Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed -- its price.

¹⁶ It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,

¹⁷ Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor `is' its exchange a vessel of fine gold.

¹⁸ Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom `is' above rubies.

¹⁹ Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.

⁸ By restraint and by judgment he hath been taken, And of his generation who doth meditate, That he hath been cut off from the land of the living? By the transgression of My people he is plagued,

¹¹ I said, I do not see Jah -- Jah! In the land of the living, I do not behold man any more, With the inhabitants of the world.

¹⁶ When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that hath been done on the earth, (for there is also a spectator in whose eyes sleep is not by day and by night),

¹⁷ then I considered all the work of God, that man is not able to find out the work that hath been done under the sun, because though man labour to seek, yet he doth not find; and even though the wise man speak of knowing he is not able to find.

²³ Truth buy, and sell not, Wisdom, and instruction, and understanding,

¹⁶ To get wisdom -- how much better than gold, And to get understanding to be chosen than silver!

¹⁸ Wealth and honour `are' with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.

¹⁹ Better `is' my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.

¹¹ For better `is' wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.

¹⁴ For better `is' her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold -- her increase.

¹⁵ Precious she `is' above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her.

⁷² Better to me `is' the law of Thy mouth Than thousands of gold and silver!

⁵ Also -- God doth break thee down for ever, Taketh thee, and pulleth thee out of the tent, And He hath uprooted thee Out of the land of the living. Selah.

¹⁰ They are more desirable than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; and sweeter than honey, Even liquid honey of the comb.

²¹ It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden.

²² Destruction and death have said: `With our ears we have heard its fame.'

⁴⁴ `Again, the reign of the heavens is like to treasure hid in the field, which a man having found did hide, and from his joy goeth, and all, as much as he hath, he selleth, and buyeth that field.

⁴⁵ `Again, the reign of the heavens is like to a man, a merchant, seeking goodly pearls,

⁴⁶ who having found one pearl of great price, having gone away, hath sold all, as much as he had, and bought it.