Wisdom literature

Wis´dom lit´er`a`ture

1.

The class of ancient Hebrew writings which deal reflectively with general ethical and religious topics, as distinguished from the prophetic and liturgical literature, and from the law. It is comprised chiefly in the books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiasticus, Ecclesiastes, and Wisdom of Solomon. The "wisdom" (Hokhmah) of these writings consists in detached sage utterances on concrete issues of life, without the effort at philosophical system that appeared in the later Hellenistic reflective writing beginning with Philo Judæus.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

wisdom literature - any of the biblical books (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus) that are considered to contain wisdom sapiential book, wisdom book religious text, religious writing, sacred text, sacred writing - writing that is venerated for the worship of a deity Book of Proverbs, Proverbs - an Old Testament book consisting of proverbs from various Israeli sages (including Solomon) Book of Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiastes - an Old Testament book consisting of reflections on the vanity of human life; is traditionally attributed to Solomon but probably was written about 250 BC Canticle of Canticles, Canticles, Song of Solomon, Song of Songs - an Old Testament book consisting of a collection of love poems traditionally attributed to Solomon but actually written much later Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus, Sirach, Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach - an Apocryphal book mainly of maxims (resembling Proverbs in that respect) Wisdom of Solomon, Wisdom - an Apocryphal book consisting mainly of a meditation on wisdom; although ascribed to Solomon it was probably written in the first century BC