wisdom literature

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

wisdom literature
    n 1: any of the biblical books (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of
         Songs, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus) that are
         considered to contain wisdom [syn: {sapiential book},
         {wisdom book}, {wisdom literature}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Wisdom literature \Wis"dom lit"er*a*ture\
   The class of ancient Hebrew writings which deal reflectively
   with general ethical and religious topics, as distinguished
   from the prophetic and liturgical literature, and from the
   law. It is comprised chiefly in the books of Job, Proverbs,
   Ecclesiasticus, Ecclesiastes, and Wisdom of Solomon. The
   "wisdom" (Hokhmah) of these writings consists in detached
   sage utterances on concrete issues of life, without the
   effort at philosophical system that appeared in the later
   Hellenistic reflective writing beginning with Philo Judaeus.
   [Webster 1913 Suppl.]