WISDOM OF SOLOMON (wiz'dilm Ov sol'o mon), (Gr. l'oola Xallo,a6vros, sof-ee'a sal-oh-mon'tos, APOCRYPHA), is the name of one of the deutero canonical books.
(1) The Author. The anonymous author per sonates King Solomon, whom he introduces as speaking ; but from the citations (according to the Septuagint) of the prophets Isaiah and Jere miah, it may be inferred that the writer had no intention of giving it to be understood that it was written by Solomon; but that he only followed a common custom of Greek and other writers, in employing the name of this distinguished royal penman. It is divided into two, or, according to some, into three parts. The first six chapters contain encomiums on wisdom, which all, and es pecially kings, are admonished to acquire, as the true security against present evils, and as leading to future glory and immortality, while a contrary course tends to misery here, and still greater mis ery hereafter. In chapters vii and viii Solomon is introduced, teaching how wisdom is to be ac, quired; in chapter x is given his prayer for this inestimable gift. Chapters x-xix contain historical examples, drawn from the Old Testament, show ing the happiness which had resulted from the pursuit of wisdom, and the fatal consequences of sin, especially the sin of idolatry. The book con cludes with divers pious and philosophical obser vations. From the author's invectives against un believing and oppressive rulers, as well as his strongly marked nationality, it has been inferred that some special object may have given occasion for the. work. Jahn (on the subject cited) and De Wette (on the same subject) both defend the unity of the book against some who have en deavored to show, from the variety in the style and subjects, that it was the composition of more than one author.
(2) The Book of Wisdom has been always 'ad mired for the sublime ideas which it contains of the perfections of God, and for the excellent moral tendency of its precepts' (Horne's Introd.). Its style, observes Bishop Lowth, after Calmet, 'is unequal, often pompous and turgid, as well as tedious and diffuse, and abounds in epithets di rectly contrary to the practices of the Hebrews : it is. however, sometimes temperate, poetical, and sublime. Calmet supposes that the author had read the works of the Greek poets and philoso phers.
(3) Language of Wisdom. Although there have not been wanting individuals who have con tended for a Hebrew, Syriac, or Chaldee original, there can be little doubt that it was written in Greek.
Nothing is known with certainty respecting the author. All that can be concluded with any de gree of probability is that the author was an Alexandrian Jew who lived after the trans planting of the Greek philosophy into Egypt, and who seems to refer to the oppressions of the later Ptolemies. Jahn (Introd.) conceives that the book was written at the close of the first, or be ginning of the second century before the Chris tian era. Some have supposed that Wisdom is cited in the New Testament (comp. iii :7 with Matt. xiii :43 ; :i8; Matt. xxvii :43 ; xiii :1 ; Rom. i :20 ; ix :t3, v:18, 19; vii :26 ; Rom. xi:34; Eph. vi :13, 14, 17; Heb. i:3).
(4) Versions. There are three ancient versions extant—the Syriac, Arabic, and Latin. Jerome' did not revise the Latin. (See VULGATE.) W. W.
WISE (Gr. °Gran, hoo'toce, Matt. i:18), on this %..ise, in this way, like this.