בִּֽישִׁישִׁ֥ים חָכְמָ֑ה וְאֹ֖רֶךְ יָמִ֣ים תְּבוּנָֽה׃
Pada orang-orang yang sudah tua ada hikmat, dan pada umur yang panjang ada pengertian.
Ohr HaSekhel
After completing the sections of the first part in their details, we will now inform in general why we mentioned them at the beginning of this composition, which almost any thoughtful person might think is irrelevant to the purpose of the composition. The truth of our intention in this is as follows: Know that the ultimate purpose of human existence is in this world so that the first Intelligent Being, who is the supreme Primary Intellect comprehending all intellectibles, can discern and comprehend Himself, which includes all essences beneath Him in His intellectual capacity. Anything added by any intellect, and for the intellect to comprehend itself, will be more honorable and excellent for Him and beloved and pleasant to Him than others below Him. It will be more similar to Him than others among those who attain in our time. Anything that does not bear the truth of its Existence will move away from him, and will increase its distance as his knowledge grows. It will add distance at the time of his intellectual growth unless he endeavors to add that to his understanding. This refers to the enlargement of his knowledge when he gets closer to the time of attainment. These are the days of old age and senility. If he becomes wise in his old age, without giving up the wisdom that is knowledge, as it is said (Job 12:12), "Wisdom is with aged men, and understanding in length of days," and he adds to cleave to the vanity of this world while he approaches parting from it naturally, then he will add some pressing concern every day. This person, if he ages and thinks that he has become wiser, is in fact an old fool.