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<\/a><\/p>\nOne of the best and most interesting translations of the Wisdom Literature is Robert Alter\u2019s.\u00a0 As he points out, because maxims and proverbs are a compact form of wisdom, in the Hebrew it may amount to very few words, which when translating necessarily involves some interpretation, as we shall see.\u00a0 Wisdom literature was common in the ANE, and indeed, if you look at the end of the book of Proverbs there is incorporated wisdom from various foreign sources, including from Egypt.\u00a0 But what makes Israel\u2019s wisdom distinct is its theological component and orientation.\u00a0 From the beginning in Prov. 1.7\u2013\u2018the fear (or revering) of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.\u2019\u00a0 \u00a0Ostensibly this is wisdom from a father to a son, but actually, it is a collection from the royal courts, in this case from Solomon\u2019s and others, and the father is a father figure\u2013 a wise man teaching a younger man.\u00a0 Already in Prov. 1.16 we are introduced to the figure of personified Wisdom, who as Hokmah (the Hebrew feminine noun) is a woman preaching wisdom at the town gates.\u00a0 \u00a0The promise at the end of the chapter in vs. 33 is a regular refrain\u2013 if you follow the advice of the sage,you will likely dwell secure and be kept from even the fear of harm.\u00a0 Again, this assumes a normal set of social circumstances, unlike in Ecclesiastes which situation is so out of joint it calls for counter-order wisdom, which would be counter intuitive in normal circumstances.<\/p>\n
In Prov. 2.10 we hear that \u2018wisdom will enter your heart\u2019 which reminds us that like many ancient cultures, the heart was seen as the seat of knowledge, as well as feelings and will.\u00a0 The ancients did not really know or understand the function of the brain very well.\u00a0 There is already here, and in contrast to Woman Wisdom, the sort of woman who would lead a young man down the garden path to sexual immorality.\u00a0 You see the contrast most dramatically in Prov. 8 and 9.\u00a0 \u00a0One of the other constant themes is if one lives wisely, one is likely to have a long life, and also to prosper.\u00a0 Again, this is a generalization assuming both things are possible in the setting in which this advice is given.\u00a0 It certainly would not be true for instance in a war torn land like Gaza is today.<\/p>\n
As Prov. 4.7 says, the beginning of wisdom is to obtain wisdom\u2014 to learn it from the wise and take it to heart.\u00a0 In Prov. 6.6-11 we see that some of this wisdom comes from carefully studying the ways of lesser creatures, in this case the industrious ant, who is contrasted with the slothful human.<\/p>\n
Prov. 8.22-31 tells the tale of pre-existent Wisdom who was there before the foundation of the world, consulting with God in the making of all things, but she in turn has her beginnings before any of the material creation is created.\u00a0 \u00a0Not surprisingly, this leads to some of the high Christology in Col. 1 and elsewhere where Christ is called \u2018monogenes\u2019 which could be rendered first born (which comports with what is said in Prov. 8)\u00a0 but perhaps just means first, pre-eminent before anything was created.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One of the best and most interesting translations of the Wisdom Literature is Robert Alter\u2019s.\u00a0 As he points out, because maxims and proverbs are a compact form of wisdom, in the Hebrew it may amount to very few words, which when translating necessarily involves some interpretation, as we shall see.\u00a0 Wisdom literature was common in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":71143,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[15508],"class_list":["post-71149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-who-is-woman-wisdom"],"yoast_head":"\n
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