wise”) and then a narrower one (“enigmas”). The “words of the wise” (dibrê ḥăkāmîm) probably does not refer to informal sayings as much as to written wisdom collections. These wise men are the sages who teach wisdom to the young. The expression also occurs in Eccles. 12:11, where the unnamed frame narrator warns his son that the words of the wise are like goads and firmly implanted nails, things that hurt. He warns his son of them (12:12). In this verse, there is a much more positive attitude