Proverbs 16:8 · American Standard Version
Proverbs 16:8 in the Original Hebrew
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Proverbs 16:8 in Other Translations
| KJV | Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. |
|---|---|
| WEB | Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice. |
| ASV | Better is a little, with righteousness, Than great revenues with injustice. |
| YLT | Better is a little with righteousness, Than abundance of increase without justice. |
| WBT | Better [is] a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right. |
| DBY | Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right. |
Commentary on Proverbs 16:8
Expositions from classic Bible commentators.
John Gill · Proverbs 16:8
Better is a little with righteousness,.... Gotten in a righteous way, held by a righteous claim, used in a righteous manner, attended with a life of righteousness and holiness; and also along with an interest in the righteousness of Christ, which renders acceptable unto God, yields peace and comfort, and entitles to eternal glory and happiness. A truly righteous man may have but little of this world's goods; but his small pittance is better
than great revenues without right; obtained in an unjust way; detained from the right owner of them, and used in an unrighteous manner, in a course of sin and wickedness: or, "without judgment" (e); how to make use of them aright, and without a righteousness that will justify them at the day of judgment; See Gill on Pro 15:16. A little the true church of Christ enjoys in the wilderness; having Christ and his grace, Christ and his righteousness, is better than all the revenues of the church of Rome gotten by the unlawful methods they are; and which, in one hour will come to nought, Rev 18:17.
(e) "absque judicio", Pagninus, Montanus.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown · Proverbs 16:8
(Compare Pro 15:6, Pro 15:16-17).
Read Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's full commentary on Proverbs 16 →
Cross References for Proverbs 16:8
Related passages, ranked by how often readers connect them. Cross-reference data from openbible.info (CC-BY).
Questions about Proverbs 16:8
What does Proverbs 16:8 say?
Proverbs 16:8 in the American Standard Version reads: “Better is a little, with righteousness, Than great revenues with injustice.” Read it in the full context of Proverbs 16, alongside the classic commentary on this page.
Where is Proverbs 16:8 found in the Bible?
Proverbs 16:8 is in the book of Proverbs, chapter 16, verse 8, in the Old Testament.
What Bible translation is Proverbs 16:8 shown in?
This is the American Standard Version (ASV), a public-domain translation. You can compare how other translations render Proverbs 16:8 in the table on this page.
Here, 1. It is supposed that an honest good man may have but a little of the wealth of this world (all the righteous are not rich), - that a man may have but little, and yet may be honest (though poverty is a temptation to dishonesty, Pro 30:9, yet not an invincible one), - and that a man may grow rich, for a while, by fraud and oppression, may have great revenues, and those got and kept without right, may have no good title to them nor make any good use of them. 2. It is maintained that a small estate, honestly come by, which a man is content with, enjoys comfortably, serves God with cheerfully, and puts to a right use, is much better and more valuable than a great estate ill-got, and then ill-kept or ill-spent. It carries with it more inward satisfaction, a better reputation with all that are wise and good; it will last longer, and will turn to a better account in the great day, when men will be judged, not according to what they had, but what they did.