The Book of Baruch is a Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal book (often included with Jeremiah) attributed to Baruch ben Neriah, the secretary of the prophet Jeremiah, writing during the Babylonian exile. It contains prayers of repentance, a poem praising Wisdom as equated with the Torah, and messages of hope for the return of the exiles to Jerusalem. The book, recognized by Catholic and Orthodox traditions but not in the Hebrew Bible, serves to reinforce the need for faithfulness during times of exile.