Mesopotamian Wisdom Literature

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Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of Mesopotamian Wisdom Literature. The introduction discusses the origins and distribution of Mesopotamian Wisdom Literature. It moves on to demonstrate how Mesopotamian Wisdom Literature can be approached. The chapter treats four subcategories of Wisdom Literature: proverbs and instructions, Vanity Theme works, existential works, and satire and parody. The conclusion offers an assessment of the nature of Mesopotamian Wisdom Literature and refers to its transmission and diffusion to other literatures of the East Mediterranean basin, the ancient Near East, the biblical Wisdom books, and beyond.