There are mines with silver and places where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth and copper is smelted from ore. Miners penetrate the earth’s darkness, searching the roots of the mountains. They dig deeper and dangerously into suffocating darkness. Far from civilization they open shafts previously unseen. The earth’s surface is a field for grain, but its depths are a forge of fire and compression. Sapphires come from the rocks and the dust contains nuggets of gold. No falcon’s eye has spotted this; the eagle is blind to these riches. Proud wild beasts are oblivious to it; no lion prowls there. Man’s hand assaults the flinty rock and lays bare the roots of the mountain. He tunnels through, revealing precious treasures. He searches out the sources of the mighty rivers to bring earth’s secrets to light.
But where is wisdom found?! And where is the place of understanding?!
The deep says, “It is not in me.” The sea echoes, “Never heard of it.” The finest gold cannot buy it. Enough silver cannot be weighed for its purchase. The gold of Ophir, precious onyx, crystal, rubies, coral, jasper, and topaz from Ethiopia combined are nothing compared to wisdom. Wisdom is a priceless treasure.
Where then does wisdom come from?! Where does it dwell?! And where is the residence of understanding?!
No matter how deep you dig or how high you fly or how much you pay, you will not obtain wisdom. You can even search the graves and question the dead, and they will respond, “We’ve only heard a rumor of it.”
God understands the way to it. He knows where wisdom dwells. He views the ends of the earth and sees everything under heaven. He established the force of the wind, and measured out the waters. He made a decree for rain, and sets off explosions of thunder and lightning. Then He saw wisdom. He declared it, established it, searched it, appraised it, and made it known. Then he addressed humanity, “Behold, the fear of the LORD is wisdom! And to depart from evil is understanding!”
Job 28