AS anyone who has learnt a foreign language will know, it is not enough simply to learn the words. To speak a language well you have to learn to think in that language. You have to know idiom, ideas, customs and practices.

I lived in Norway for two years. At the end of it my accent could sometimes be passed off for a native's. Yet I never really felt that I knew exactly how a Norwegian thinks. Different climate, backgrounds and environment make people different. There is more to nationality than just language.

That is why to Western ears Hebrew music and poetry often sound strange. Yet the poetry books of the Bible express truth for all mankind. They contain principles which everyone can appreciate as noble and beautiful. They apply to people of every nationality and every age.

Comforters-
The book of Job is an example. The events probably took place in the time of Genesis. It is the story of God testing a very faithful man. Job's friends are jealous of him. They attempt, unsuccessfully, to explain his troubles and to relate them to sin. Through his suffering they are taught the power and majesty of God. All are humbled by the experience.

Proverbs is also a collection. It is an assembly of wise sayings or parables. Some of our own everyday proverbs have their foundation here. They contain a lot of sound advice relevant to life today. They are also very practical. They help us understand true wisdom and lead a Godly life.

Wise Words
In the book of Ecclesiastes, a wise king examines life's purpose. This is a question that has beaten some of the best brains! Even people highly trained and qualified in different subjects find this hard. Yet this is surely one of the most basic of all questions.

What is life about? Why are we here? What is the purpose of our existence? These are things that brains trusts and panels find difficult. Yet here is something fundamental. This we need to know if we are to make anything of our lives.

The author of Ecclesiastes sees that many things go in cycles. They seem empty and a waste of time. But he discovers that everything has a time and place in God's plan. His conclusions are sound and helpful.
King Solomon wrote 1,005 songs. The Song of Songs is the best or most important of his works. It depicts many human feelings - love, temptation, disappointment, loyalty. It describes the love and unity that should exist between God and His people. It is also known as the Song of Solomon.

It teaches us to question our priorities. What do I love most? My family? My work? Some particular possession? What is it that finds first place in our hearts and our lives? And, is it right that it should?

These are the poetry books of our Bible. They are not always easy reading. Sometimes they contain searching questions. Yet they are also a source of counsel, wisdom and strength. They are as true today as when they were first written. 