Proces formacji mądrościowej w ujęciu Prz 1–9

The main goal the Israelite sages’ activity was to transmit knowledge of wisdom and to make people base their attitudes on wisdom principles. Pr. 1-9 contains a number of texts which make it possible to reconstruct the main lines of education in wisdom, a process that began in the family, continued at school and was then completed at various centres of public education. The authors of school texts drew on education in the family (1, 8-9; 4, 3-9; 6, 20-21), where the parents would educate their son to be obedient and disciplined and imparted to him basic knowledge of his duties. The wisdom education of a pupil under the guidance of a tutor and teacher followed a set course (2-7). Its aim was to develop and consolidate the pupil’s personality on the foundations of piety, discipline and personal contact with wisdom, which manifests itself in the knowledge of God and in justice. Religious consciousness and the ability to act correctly were the practical tests of a life of wisdom, immune to temptation from sinners and fools. The two speeches of personified wisdom (1, 20-33; 8,1-36) differ in style from the school teachings and we can find in them some principles of wisdom education intended for adults, whether opponents of wisdom or people already well advanced in its ways. A preliminary condition to undertake such education was to become converted at it were, that is to abandon inveterate vices and turn to wisdom, or at least willingly to listen to wisdom teachings and to embrace the instructions received. The principal aim of these was to strengthen justice, inspire the love of virtuous conduct concordant with the principles of wisdom and to ensure a happy life for every man, which can only be attained through God’s wisdom.