The Book of Proverbs has sometimes been regarded as a textbook in the field of ethics. Although it avoids any theoretical discussion concerning the basis for determining what is right or wrong, it advocates a very high standard of personal conduct. The man of wisdom will abstain from idle gossip; he will not seek the company of idle men, nor will he testify falsely before the judges of the land. He will avoid loose women as he would the plague; he will not waste his time in idleness, but he will use his leisure hours to reflect on the meaning of life and the paths of conduct that he should follow. The compiler of Proverbs is well aware of life's hardships, but unlike the writers of Job and Ecclesiastes, he believes that happiness and material prosperity are distributed according to merit. The lazy man or the fool comes to want, and the distress and suffering that he experiences are exactly what he deserves. On the other hand, Yahweh rewards the wise and the prudent with the good things in life.
The proverbs express the conviction that loyalty to Yahweh is extremely important. In this respect, they fully agree with the teachings of the Hebrew prophets. They differ, however, in that they define this loyalty in terms of personal conduct rather than national policy. Although the Book of Proverbs places a great deal of emphasis on selfish motives as means of promoting good conduct, such motives, although not the highest, are better than no motives at all.
