(11.) =A good= is =wisdom= (the two nouns both abstracts or in strict agreement) =together with an inheritance, and a profitable thing= (וְיֹתֵר, which the Masorets point as a participle, not יתרון, which would give a different idea, _i.e._ a ‘profit generally,’ which, in the sense of this book, wisdom is not always, for it fails, through unforeseen accidents, of always attaining its end, and sometimes perishes like folly; but with an inheritance, wisdom to know how to use it is always a real advantage in some way even in this life, and hence the qualification) =to= those =that see the sun= (generic, as a sun which is light and warmth indeed, but also glare and heat). 12 For wisdom _is_ a │ for the shelter of wisdom is ¹defence, _and_ money _is_ a │ just as the shelter of money: defence: but the excellency of │ but the profit of knowledge knowledge _is_, _that_ wisdom │ is, the wisdom that enables its giveth life to them that have │ possessor to live. it. │ │ ¹ _Hebrew_ shadow. │ (12.) =For in shadow= of =the wisdom= is =in shadow= of =the silver.= (The sentence, whichever way we take it, is enigmatical, as indeed the form shows. The LXX. render _ad sensum_, ‘Because in her shadow, wisdom is as the shadow of silver,’ but very probably not because they read differently, this rendering merely gives the equivoke; for the literal meaning of the sentence, as it stands in the text, is, ‘_Because in the shadow of wisdom_ generically, _is the same as to be in the shadow of money._’ The idea of shadow arises naturally from that of _sunshine_, spoken of above; for we must remember that in the East, shadow is always desired, and it is to the natives of southern Europe and Asia the symbol of pleasant refreshment. Shadow and sun are cognate ideas――see Psalms xci. 1, Isaiah xxxii. 2. Again, the root כסף has the meaning to desire earnestly――see Job xiv. 15, Psalms xvii. 12; hence the further play upon the words.) =And a profit of a knowledge of the wisdom?= (generic, this special wisdom, but the passage might also be rendered, and a ‘profit of knowledge, it is wisdom which,’ etc.) it =enlivens its possessor.= (The Masorets, by accenting דַּ֔עַת with zakeph, separate it from what follows, and so render as above. Thus the meaning is――‘and there is this advantage in the knowledge of wisdom, it makes its possessor live,’ or gives him life: but not absolutely so; this appears from what follows.) 13 Consider the work of │ Consider then, with regard God: for who can make _that_ │ to the working of the Almighty, straight, which he hath made │ that none is able to explain crooked? │ with regard to what He has made │ complex.