2 Iron is taken from the¹ earth,
And copper is smelted from ore. ‡

3 Man puts an end to darkness,
And searches every recess
For ore in the darkness and the shadow of death.

4 He breaks open a shaft away from people;
In places forgotten by feet
They hang far away from men;
They swing to and fro.

5 As for the earth, from it comes bread,
But underneath it is turned up as by fire;

6 Its stones are the source of sapphires,
And it contains gold dust.

7 That path no bird knows,
Nor has the falcon’s eye seen it.

8 The¹ proud lions have not trodden it,
Nor has the fierce lion passed over it. ‡

9 He puts his hand on the flint;
He overturns the mountains¹ at the roots. ‡

10 He cuts out channels in the rocks,
And his eye sees every precious thing.

11 He dams up the streams from trickling;
What is hidden he brings forth to light.