נֹצֵ֣ר תְּ֭אֵנָה יֹאכַ֣ל פִּרְיָ֑הּ וְשֹׁמֵ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣יו יְכֻבָּֽד׃
Qui veille sur le figuier jouira de ses fruits qui veine sur son maître recueillera de l’honneur.
Sichot Avodat Levi
Rabbi Yitzchak of Volozhin (cited in the gloss of the book, Ruach Chaim on Avot 1:1) explained the words of the Gemara in a different way, according to the words of the midrash in Bamidbar Rabbah (Parshat Pinchas 21:14), "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Prov. 27:18), 'He who tends a fig tree will enjoy its fruit.' Your sons sat [with] their own [concerns] and were not involved with Torah [study]. Joshua served you much and gave you much honor, and he would come early and leave late in your house of council, and he would arrange the benches and spread the mats. Since he served you with all of his strength, he is appropriate to serve Israel and not lose his reward - 'Take Joshua bin Nun,' to fulfill that which is stated, 'He who tends a fig tree will enjoy its fruit.'"