14 The deep ocean says, ‘It’s not here with me.’ The sea says, ‘It’s not here with me.’
15 You cannot buy wisdom with even the purest gold. There’s not enough silver in the world to pay for it.
16 You cannot buy it with gold from Ophir or with precious onyx or sapphires.
17 Wisdom is worth more than gold or crystal. It cannot be bought with expensive jewels set in gold.
18 It is far more valuable than coral and jasper, more precious than rubies.
19 The topaz from Ethiopia cannot match its value, which is greater than the purest gold.
20 “So where does wisdom come from? Where can we find understanding?