The proverbs can be considered just for what they are, the advice of a wise man that may be useful to some. But in the study of ancient civilizations and even modern civilizations (operating with a proverbial culture) proverbs can give us much deeper insight into society's social opinions and norms. I will examine the norms and opinions of the ancient Israelites and modern Arab Bedouins on the topic of wealth and poverty through their proverbs. Biblical and Arabic Bedouin proverbs show that people viewed wealth and poverty both positively and negatively with common themes of wisdom, knowledge, goodness, hard work ethic, and fear of God. Some of these themes are more prevalent in some scenarios than to others, but nevertheless they are the general themes throughout. Wealth is good. Wealth is seen as positive and people try to get it even more for some reasons. Wealth provides security and authority in society. (Kassis 162) In Bible Proverbs 10:15 a person's wealth is described as his "fortress" and in Prov. 18.11 as a “strong city” and a “high wall in his imagination”. When one is rich he has a sense of security equal to that of a fortress or a high wall around a strong city. This sense of security also gives the rich man authority over the poor since “the rich man rules the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender's slave” (Prov. 22.7). While with wealth one has power and authority, one would still attract many friends and relationships because “Those who love the rich are many.” (Prov. 14,20b) Wealth “adds many friends” (Prov. 19,4a) but for reasons that go beyond simple money. To be that wealth as well as “honor and life” (Prov. 22,4) is God's blessing and reward for those “righteous” people (Prov. 10,2) f...... middle of the paper.. ....view wealth and poverty both positively and negatively with common themes of wisdom, knowledge, goodness, hard work ethic and fear of God. But not only that, they also prefer these other right things to wealth. Works Cited Bailey, Clinton. “Economic survival”. A culture of survival in the desert: Bedouin proverbs of the Sinai and the Negev. New Haven: Yale UP, 2004. 43-80. Print.Fox, Michael V. "Ancient Near Eastern Wisdom Literature (Educational)." Religion Compass 5.1 (2011): 1-11. Web.Fox, Michael V. “Proverbs 10-31.” The Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven: Yale UP, 2008. Print.Kassis, Riad Aziz. “Four visions of wealth and poverty”. The Book of Proverbs and Arabic Proverbial Works. Leiden: Brill, 1999. 160-221. Print.Sandoval, T J. The Discourse on Wealth and Poverty in the Book of Proverbs. Leiden and Boston: EJ Brill. 2006. 86-92. Press.