Aligned sentence by sentence
. . .
Section XIV. Chapter Eleven: Wisdom.
, , ,
Among the students of the wise there are those who claimed that a person should occupy himself in the abode of this world with nothing except the pursuit of wisdom. They said: through it one reaches knowledge of all that is on earth — its natures and temperaments — and extensive knowledge of the heavens — its stars and spheres.
, ,
And it brings a pleasure by which the soul delights — as it says: 'When wisdom enters your heart and knowledge is pleasant to your soul' (Prov. 2:10).
, ,
It heals the soul from ignorance — as it says: 'It will be healing for your navel' (Prov. 3:8) — and it nourishes the soul like food — as it says: 'and drink for your bones' (ibid.).
[] .
And one is adorned with it like pearls and gems worn by kings — as it says: 'For they are a graceful garland for your head and chains for your neck' (Prov. 1:9).
.
And one who does not seek and understand it is as if he is not among people and is not guided by it — as it says: 'For they do not understand the works of the Lord or the deeds of His hands' (Ps. 28:5).
, , , .
I found everything they said about wisdom to be absolutely true. Where they err is in saying one should not occupy oneself alongside it with anything else — for if alongside wisdom one does not occupy himself with food, shelter, and clothing, wisdom ceases, since it has no sustenance without these.
, .
And if he throws himself on others for these needs, he is rejected and not guided by them, and his words go unheard — as it says: 'The wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heard' (Eccl. 9:16).
And if he contents himself with coarse food and crude management, his constitution goes wrong
Aligned sentence by sentence
, .
— his constitution becomes coarse and turbid and the fineness and subtlety of wisdom vanishes — as it says: 'Apples of gold in settings of silver: a word aptly spoken' (Prov. 25:11).
.
Do you not see that when the children of Israel were in the wilderness, the Lord nourished them with fine food — the manna — so they might learn wisdom? As it says: 'Let the people go out and gather a day's portion each day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my Torah or not' (Exod. 16:4).
, ,
Note also that the Levites received only one thirteenth of the grain — being one tribe among thirteen — yet the tithe was assigned to them to refine their food.
, ,
If all people followed what these people say, wisdom would cease through the cutting off of progeny by abandoning marriage; and if they occupied themselves only with the wisdom of natural science, they would abandon the wisdom of religion and Torah.
.
The latter was made dear to them only to support the former — and the totality of both together is good — as it says: 'To make you know what is right and true, that you may answer truthfully those who send to you' (Prov. 22:21).