11 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline
or be weary of his reproof,
12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights.13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
and the one who gets understanding,
14 for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
and her profit better than gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called blessed.
19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding he established the heavens;
20 by his knowledge the deeps broke open,
and the clouds drop down the dew.
The fruit of such hard-won wisdom is described in 13ff. Lest we be too preoccupied with the material blessings spoken of here, we should particularly note what is said in 16. Doubtless there is an element of Hebrew parallelism in the verse, but it is perhaps significant that the purely material things are wisdom's 'left-handed' gifts, while the 'right-handed' gifts are the more intangible realities, the qualitative things. We some- times speak of 'left-handed' compliments, meaning those of lesser, or doubtful, value. This is the kind of metaphor that may be in view in these words. Riches and honour, al- though legitimate blessings, are not the highest or most important in life: the intangible realities are more important by far, more rewarding and more satisfying too, 'a tree of life', as 18 puts it. One thinks of the rich young ruler in this connection: he had riches, honour and position, yet he was conscious of a great lack - he did not have access to any tree of life, and was therefore, in the deepest and truest sense, impoverished. The emphasis in 19 and 20 seems to suggest that wisdom is cosmic in its significance and importance. To get through to wisdom is to get through to the controlling principle of the universe. It is little wonder that the writer speaks of moral stability flowing from wisdom, for here is the great fountainhead of every kind of stability. And that immensity has come to touch the hearts of men in the word of grace. It is easy to make the transition from this to the Incarnation, and to Christ, in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He is our wisdom, and He dwells within us, by His Spirit. How wonderful!