<p>In this volume, Richard J. Clifford seeks to make the biblical wisdom literature intelligible to modern readers. It is easy to quote the occasional proverb, say a few things about &quot;the problem of evil&quot; in Job, or quote &quot;vanity of vanities, &quot; but far more rewarding to read the whole book with an appreciative and informed eye. </p><p>Opening chapters of <em>The Wisdom Literature </em>comment on the striking similarities between ancient and modern &quot;wisdom literature&quot; and on the comparable literature from ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Canaan. Thereafter, a chapter is devoted to each biblical wisdom book (Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Sirach, and Wisdom of Solomon), studying not only its content but also its rhetoric -- how it engages the reader.</p>