20 So then, where does wisdom come from?

≈ Where then, does understanding live?

21 It’s hidden from the eyes of every living creature.

≈ It’s even concealed from the birds in the sky.

22 Destruction and death say,

‘We’ve heard a rumour about it with our ears.’

23 But God understands the path to wisdom,

≈ and he knows where it lives,

24 because he can see right around the earth,

and he notices everything under the sky.

25 God determined the weight of the atmosphere,

≈ and he dished out the ocean with his measuring cup.

26 He told the rain how to behave,

≈ and made the paths for the lightning bolts when it thunders.

27 Then he saw wisdom and declared it.

≈ and He established it then searched it out.

28 Then he told humankind,[ref]

‘Listen, obeying the master—that’s wisdom,

along with turning away from doing evil.’