Through translation, technical notes, and insightful commentary, Richard Clifford sheds new understanding on Proverbs. By focusing on the rhetoric of Proverbs, Clifford demonstrates how the book fosters a lifelong search for wisdom, and enables readers to see how the instructions and sayings are concerned with contemporary issues.

In the book of Wisdom, we find the literary voice of Solomon, the model king and seeker of wisdom sharing his meditations. Concepts from Greek philosophy are integrated into Jewish tradition to present new insights into how wisdom can be both a quality of God and a human characteristic. Three affirmations in this lyrical book especially resonate for modern Christians: the kingdom of God means that God's justice actually rules the world; God is Lord of the universe, not just the God of heaven; and God is engaged in human history and dwells with the human race.Richard J. Clifford, SJ, is professor of Old Testament at Boston College School of Theology. He taught biblical studies at Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge from 1970 to 2008. His doctorate is from Harvard University. He was general editor of the Catholic Biblical Quarterly and is a former president of the Catholic Biblical Association. As well as teaching and lecturing in scholarly circles, he is active in adult education in various New England dioceses.

Through translation, technical notes, and insightful commentary, Richard Clifford sheds new understanding on Proverbs. By focusing on the rhetoric of Proverbs, Clifford demonstrates how the book fosters a lifelong search for wisdom, and enables readers to see how the instructions and sayings are concerned with contemporary issues.

In the book of Wisdom, we find the literary voice of Solomon, the model king and seeker of wisdom sharing his meditations. Concepts from Greek philosophy are integrated into Jewish tradition to present new insights into how wisdom can be both a quality of God and a human characteristic. Three affirmations in this lyrical book especially resonate for modern Christians: the kingdom of God means that God's justice actually rules the world; God is Lord of the universe, not just the God of heaven; and God is engaged in human history and dwells with the human race.Richard J. Clifford, SJ, is professor of Old Testament at Boston College School of Theology. He taught biblical studies at Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge from 1970 to 2008. His doctorate is from Harvard University. He was general editor of the Catholic Biblical Quarterly and is a former president of the Catholic Biblical Association. As well as teaching and lecturing in scholarly circles, he is active in adult education in various New England dioceses.