What is the meaning of "Tovah Chachmah Im Nachalah"?
Rashi: Their Chachmah 1 stood for them together with inheritance of merit of their fathers.
Ibn Ezra: If a Chacham inherited, it is good for him 2 .
Rashbam, Metzudas David: What one inherited from his father, he will keep it only if he has Chachmah to guard his property.
Ri Kara #1: It is good for Chachmah when there is inheritance and property with it. Without this, "v'Chachmas ha'Misken Bezuyah u'Dvarav Einam Nishma'im" (9:16). When one is poor, even if he is a Chacham, he does Kaf Remiyah 3 , and all disgrace him. Also, he stands in front of Kesilim and serves them, and he is disgraced.
Ri Kara #2: An Ashir should not say, why should I exert my son and force him to learn Torah and a trade, or other Chachmah? When I will depart from the world, I will bequeath to him fields and vineyards, and much gold and silver! If he will live 100 years, and spend a Maneh (100 Zuz - half a standard year's income) every day, he will not lack any desire. Do not say so. Chachmah is good with inheritance. It sustains the inheritance and guards its owner. One who lacks Chachmah, he loses all that his father bequeathed to him.
Rid: This is tied to the coming verse. Chachmah with inheritance is good, for one who wants to stand "b'Tzel ha'Chachmah", he needs to stand "b'Tzel ha'Kasef."
R. Avigdor #1: Chachmah is good when it is an inheritance. If an Am ha'Aretz' son learns Torah, his father cannot help him and strengthen him in his Chachmah.
R. Avigdor #2: Chachmah is good with Nachalah, i.e. Derech Eretz (a job) - 'Talmud Torah is nice with Derech Eretz' (Avos 2:2).
R. Avigdor #3: The Chachmah of Adam ha'Rishon was good, with the world, which he bequeathed to his sons. So man's Chachmah is good when he bequeaths to his sons, and his Chachmah does not die with him 4 .
Seforno: Also nowadays, Chachmah of conduct is good when it is with inheritance of money or a family trade. Many early ones became rich via grazing flocks and working the land.
He will not need to engage in earning a living, and can engage totally in Chachmah. (PF)
Magihah (in Toras Chayim): The appearance of poverty makes people err [to think that he is not a Chacham].
If he does not bequeath to them, they will need to work and will not have time to engage in his Chachmah, and it will be lost. (PF)
What is more for "Ro'ei ha'Shamesh"?
Rav Sadya Gaon: The advantage [of Chachmah with inheritance] is only for them.
Rashi: The advantage of Chachmah. It is for all people. One who vowed [not to benefit from] Ro'ei ha'Shamesh is forbidden even from blind people. He intended for people that the sun sees them (Nedarim 30b).
Ibn Ezra: People will honor [the Chacham] for his wealth 1 .
Rashbam: Chachmah is better than money for people who go in the world - their Chachmah helps and stands for them.
Ri Kara #1: Chachmah with inheritance is better - [it is good] in the eyes of everyone. Chachmah without inheritance, only Chachamim honor it.
Ri Kara #2: Do not say that Chachmah is the same as inheritance. Rather, it is worth more than inheritance to Ro'ei ha'Shamesh, i.e. people who came to the world; refer to 7:12:1:5.
Rid: Extra Da'as of Chachmah gives to them life (12).
Seforno: This occurs more to those who see the proper conduct with what is under the sun. They run their affairs with Mishpat and nice conduct. In this way, the earlier days were good for those mentioned in chronicles who lived in this way.
Metzudas David: Chachmah is needed more for Ro'ei ha'Shamesh who look at the Ma'arachah to bring influence down to themselves. They have nothing in their hands, and all their trust is in the Ma'arachah. For this they need Chachmah 2 ! It mentions the sun, for it is the biggest, and acts greatly on lower beings. Therefore, it is called Meleches ha'Shamayim, an expression of Malkah, like I wrote above (refer to 1:3:4:6).
