The Lost Wisdom of Solomon

Book excerpt: Once upon a time there was a wise Israelite who spoke many parables and proverbs, and who rode into Jerusalem upon a mule and presented himself as king. That man was Solomon, son of David, who lived nearly a thousand years before Jesus. According to the Old Testament, King Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs. The Bible contains less than half of this material. Herein, you will find more of Solomon's proverbs and wise sayings, for centuries hidden from the general population. Should biblical scholars ever come together over a few stiff drinks, they just might agree that the contents of this book may be deemed tantamount to holy scripture. Until then, it is just an agglomeration of passages that sound dogmatic and may ostensibly be ascribed to one of the wisest figures in human history. Let the reader be forewarned: Wisdom does not appeal to everyone, and seldom is its delivery ingratiating. Although eloquent in any language, it can reveal the philistine heart that encumbers the soul of even the most virtuous seeker.