Proverbs 16:8 (LSB)

Passage

Better is a little with righteousness Than great produce with injustice.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:6 By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of Yahweh one turns away from evil.

Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways are pleasing to Yahweh, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Proverbs 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness Than great produce with injustice.

Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, But Yahweh directs his steps.

Proverbs 16:10 A divine decision is in the lips of the king; His mouth should not err in judgment.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "better", "little", "righteousness", "than", "great", "produce", and "injustice". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "better" and "little", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "When a man s ways are pleasing..." into verse 9's "The heart of man plans his way...", so "better" and "little" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "better" and "little" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.