Better a little with righteousness than great gain with injustice.
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.
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...
Pro 16:8 Five proverbs of the king, together with three of righteousness in action and conduct: 8 Better is a little with righteousness, Than rich revenues with unrighteousness. The cogn. proverb Pro 15:16 commences similarly. Of רב תּבוּאות, multitude or greatness of income, vid., Pro 14:4 : “unrighteous wealth profits not.” The possessor of it is not truly happy, for sin cleaves to it, which...