Proverbs 8:18

durable Or, ancient, R.V. marg. The word, of which the root meaning is to grow old, in the sense of continuance, may look backward to what has already grown old and is ancient, or forward to what is abiding, and therefore will grow old. The rendering durablehas the advantage of combining both these references.

Dean Plumptre adopts the latter view: "The special idea conveyed is that of a treasure piled up for many years, ancient wealth. Comp. the Greek maxim, ἀρχαιοπλούτων δεσποτῶν πολλὴ χάρις, Aesch. Agam. 1043."

and righteousness A double contrast is implied: (1) Wisdom bestows temporal wealth and prosperity, which because it is procured by righteousness(comp. Proverbs 8:20) is durable, unlike "the wealth of the sinner" ("the unrighteous mammon," Luke 16:9), which passes to another (Proverbs 11:22). And (2) instead of "that which is not," "the riches which certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth towards heaven" (Proverbs 23:5), Wisdom bestows "the true riches" (Luke 16:11), the wealth which is "our own" (ib. Proverbs 8:12), inseparable from us and a partaker of our immortality.