The Wisdom Books
Job Proverbs and Ecclesiastes
WW Norton · Print & ebook · September 20, 2011
First time in paperback: “One of the most ambitious literary projects of this or any age.”—Adam Kirsch, New Republic Here in Robert Alter's bold new translation are some of the most magnificent works in world literature.
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- Who it’s for
- Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes bring ancient wisdom into strikingly different poetic registers.
- Themes
- Wisdom and moral order, Hebrew Bible literature, Ancient poetry and proverbs
- Pacing
- Reflective
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Start with this bookAbout this book
First time in paperback: “One of the most ambitious literary projects of this or any age.”—Adam Kirsch, New Republic Here in Robert Alter's bold new translation are some of the most magnificent works in world literature. The astounding poetry in the Book of Job is restored to its powerful ancient meanings and rhythms. The creation account in its Voice from the Whirlwind is beautiful and incendiary.
Continue reading
By contrast, a serene fatalism suffuses Ecclesiastes with a quiet beauty, and the pithy maxims of Proverbs impart a worldly wisdom that is satirically shrewd. Each of these books addresses the universal wisdom that the righteous thrive and the wicked suffer in a rational moral order; together they are essential to the ancient canon that is the Hebrew Bible.
Wisdom in Tension
Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes bring ancient wisdom into strikingly different poetic registers.
Come here for
- Job’s restored ancient rhythms and fierce poetry
- Proverbs’ worldly wisdom, sharpened by satire
Expect
- A quiet fatalism in Ecclesiastes
- Three distinct voices considering moral order
Where it sits
| Wisdom Literature (Bible) | 62% |
|---|---|
| Other English Bibles | 22% |
| Jewish Scriptures | 19% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Wisdom Literature (Bible)
- Authors
- Robert Alter
- Publisher
- WW Norton
- Published
- September 20, 2011
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Wisdom and moral order · Hebrew Bible literature · Ancient poetry and proverbs
- Reading lane
- Wisdom Literature (Bible)