So [shall] the knowledge of wisdom [be] unto thy soul
Or let it be taken in as greedily and with as good an appetite; as pleasant, useful, delightful, and profitable; even the knowledge of Christ, the Wisdom of God, which is preferable to all things else, and more desirable than the most pleasant and profitable things in the world; and of the Gospel of Christ, the wisdom of God in a mystery, than which nothing is more sweet and comfortable to a truly gracious soul; it is like Ezekiel's roll, which was in his mouth as honey for sweetness, ( Ezekiel 3:3 ) ; when thou hast found [it], then there shall be a reward;
for though there may be some difficulty and trouble to attain it, in the use of means, by reading, bearing, prayer, and meditation, yet, being enjoyed, it carries its own reward with it; a man is abundantly recompensed for all his pains in the pursuit of it, by the pleasure and profit it yields him now and hereafter; for it is the beginning of life eternal, and will issue in it, ( John 17:3 ) ; see ( Proverbs 2:3-5 ) ( 3:13 ) ; and thy expectation shall not be cut off;
or "hope" F15; as the hope of the hypocrite will, ( Job 8:14 ) , the hope of eternal life, as founded on Christ and his righteousness, where such that know Wisdom place their hope; and this hope will not make them ashamed; they will not be disappointed, their expectation shall not perish, they will have what they are waiting and hoping for, and what is promised unto them, (See Gill on Proverbs 23:18). The Targum is,
``which if thou findest, the last shall come better than the first, and thy hope shall not be consumed.''
The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.