“Sic et doctrina sapientiæ animæ tuæ : quam cum inveneris, habebis in novissimis spem, et spes tua non peribit.”
“So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.”
“Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.”
“so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul; if you have found it, then there will be a reward, your hope will not be cut off.”
“So shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul; If thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward, And thy hope shall not be cut off.”
Thou shalt. Hebrew, “yea, it is the last.” (Montanus) — “Then there shall be a reward.” (Protestants) — Thou shalt enjoy old age, or have posterity. (Calmet)
This is spoken, not so much by way of counsel to wicked men (they will not receive instruction, ch. 23 9), but rather in defiance of them, for the encouragement of good people that are threatened by them. See here, 1. The designs of the wicked against the righteous, and the success they promise themselves in those designs. The plot is laid deeply: They lay wait against the dwelling of the righteous, thinking to charge some iniquity upon it, or compass some design against it; they lie in wait at the door, to catch him when he stirs out, as David's persecutors, Ps 59. title. The hope is raised high; they doubt not but to spoil his dwelling-place because he is weak and cannot support it, because his condition is low and distressed, and he is almost down already. All this is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman. The blood-thirsty hate the upright. 2. The folly and frustration of these designs (1.) The righteous man, whose ruin was expected, recovers himself. He falls seven times into trouble, but, by the blessing of God upon his wisdom and integrity, he rises again, sees through his troubles and sees better times after them. The just man falls, sometimes falls seven times perhaps, into sin, sins of infirmity, through the surprise of temptation; but he rises again by repentance, finds mercy with God, and regains his peace. (2.) The wicked man, who expected to see his ruin and to help it forward, is undone. He falls into mischief; his sins and his troubles are his utter destruction.