Bonaventure, on Wis 8:18

“And that there is great delight in her friendship, and inexhaustible riches in the works of her hands, and in the exercise of conference with her, wisdom, and glory in the communication of her words: I went about seeking, that I might take her to myself.”

“(Vers. 18.). And in friendship with her, namely when she is loved, good delight, namely in the affection: good he says as opposed to the delight of sin, which is evil, because it leads to eternal torment, according to that saying of Gregory: "What delights is momentary, what torments is eternal"; likewise the Gloss: "Bodily pleasures weigh down the body, but spiritual pleasures uplift the mind; and the more they are consumed, the more they are hungered for. In the former, the appetite pleases but the experience displeases; but spiritual delights increase desire, and the more they are partaken of, the more eagerly they are loved." And in the works of her hands, that is, in good works, which are done through her hands, that is, by her power and might: John fifteen: "Without me you can do nothing"; honor without failing, that is, perfect honor: for virtue and the work of virtue belong to the genus of the honorable: below in chapter ten: "She honored him in his labors"; likewise above in chapter seven: "Innumerable honor through her hands." And in the contest of her discourse, namely that which takes the form of disputation, in which there is a certain contest between the one objecting and the one responding: wisdom, that is, knowledge; supply: is acquired: Sirach, last chapter: "My soul wrestled with her." And renown, that is, the evidence of illustrious virtue, in the sharing of her words, which namely are shared by way of simple conference: Sirach 24: "Those who elucidate me shall have eternal life"; likewise Daniel 12: "Those who instruct many unto justice shall be as stars for perpetual eternities." I went about: the Gloss: "Diligently and studiously": Song of Songs three: "I will arise and go about the city": seeking, like the woman of whom Luke fifteen says: "Who lights a lamp and sweeps the house, seeking diligently until she finds it." That I might take her to myself, namely as a bride: whence above in the same chapter: "I sought to take her as my bride." In the aforesaid text, eight things useful to the preacher or teacher concerning the learning of wisdom or concerning the acquisition of wisdom are touched upon: reflection upon her through investigation, recollection through frequent practice, delight through love, action through fulfillment, contention through disputation, communication through conference, going about through questioning, taking up through incorporation.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.