And I surpassed in riches all that were before me in Jerusalem: my wisdom also remained with me.

And I became great, and increased more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

And I became great, and increased above every one who had been before me in Jerusalem; also, my wisdom stood with me.

And I became great; increasing more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom was still with me.

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom stood me in stead.

And I surpassed in opulence all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also persevered with me.

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom (f) remained with me.
(f) For all this God did not take his gift of wisdom from me.

So I was great,.... Became famous for the great works wrought by him before mentioned;
and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem; the Targum adds, "in riches"; but it seems rather to respect his fame and glory among men; though in general it may include his increase of wealth, power, and honour, and everything that contributed to his external happiness;
also my wisdom remained with me; the Targum adds, "and it helped me"; which he exercised and showed in the government of his kingdom, in the conduct of his family, in his personal deportment and behaviour; amidst all his pleasures, he did not neglect the study of natural knowledge, nor give himself up to sordid and sinful lusts; and so was a better judge of pleasure, whether true happiness consisted in it or not.

great--opulent (Genesis 24:35; Job 1:3; see 1-Kings 10:23).
remained-- (Ecclesiastes 2:3).

"And I became great, and was always greater than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And all that mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I refused not any kind of joy to my heart; for my heart had joy of all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. And I turned myself to all the works which my hands had done, and to the labour which I had laboured to accomplish: and, behold, all was vain, and windy effort, and there was no true profit under the sun." In vehosaphti there is here no obj. as at Ecclesiastes 1:16; the obj. is the gedullah, the greatness, to be concluded and thought of from vegadalti, "and I became great." To the impers. היה for היוּ, 7b, cf. 7a, Ecclesiastes 1:16, Ecclesiastes 1:10. He became great, and always greater, viz., in the possession of all the good things, the possession of which seemed to make a man happy on this earth. And what he resolved upon, in the midst of this dulcis insania, viz., to deport himself as a wise man, he succeeded in doing: his wisdom forsook him not, viz., the means adapted to the end, and ruling over this colossal apparatus of sensual lust; אף, as e.g., at Psalm 16:6, belongs to the whole clause; and עמד, with ל, does not mean here to stand by, sustain (Herzfeld, Ewald, Elster), which it might mean as well as על עמד, Daniel 12:1, but to continue, as Jerome, and after him, Luther, translates: sapientia quoquo perseveravit mecum; the Targ. connects the ideas of continuance (lxx, Syr., Venet.) and of help; but the idea intended is that of continuance, for נהג, e.g., does not refer to helping, but self-maintaining.

Great - In riches, and power, and glory. My wisdom remained - As yet I was not wholly seduced from God.