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Proverbs 18:5 meaning

Justice is corrupted when the wicked are favored or the righteous are pushed aside in judgment.

A justice proverb follows: To show partiality to the wicked is not good, Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment (v. 5). Proverbs 18:5 addresses the corruption of judgment itself.

To show partiality to the wicked is to bend the scales of justice in favor of evil. This can happen through bribes, fear, favoritism, or social pressure. Solomon says plainly that it is not good because it tears justice away from truth.

Likewise, it is wrong to thrust aside the righteous in judgment. When the innocent or upright are denied what is just, society begins to rot from within. Wisdom insists that judgment must be anchored in reality, not manipulated by advantage or partiality.