Robert Alter

Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes : a translation with commentary

The wisdom books

Dana Kraft

I've committed myself to reading all of Alter's translations. I read Job in the past but had not read Proverbs or Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes). The introductory material to each is fascinating. For example, I had never heard that Job doesn't ever directly refer to the God of Israel (the words used for 'god' are more general). Proverbs was less interesting and thought-provoking than I expected. I kept waiting for what I would consider a lightning bolt of wisdom but those were few and far between. In general, I feel like all three of these books built off Job's dilemma. The three non-Job characters who are quick to assume that he must be a sinner because he is suffering are a perfect match with the rather superficial bite-sized sayings in Proverbs. How quick we are to judge and how easy we think it is! Qoheleth is then the voice of an old man who is more informed by hard experience than wisdom studies or ideas about what a life "should" be about.

The wisdom books Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes : a translation with commentary

Reviews