Proverbs 16:8 (WEB)

Passage

Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of Yahweh men depart from evil.

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

Proverbs 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.

Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his course, but Yahweh directs his steps.

Proverbs 16:10 Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "better", "little", "righteousness", "than", "great", "revenues", 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 please Yahweh..." into verse 9's "A man s heart plans his course...", 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.