Righteousness

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noun

1. The quality or state of being morally sound: good, goodness, morality, probity, rectitude, rightness, uprightness, virtue, virtuousness. See right/wrong.
2. The moral quality of a course of action: ethic (used in plural), ethicality, ethicalness, morality, propriety, rightfulness, rightness. See right/wrong.

n

Definition: goodness
Antonyms: sinfulness, wickedness

The value of Justice and right; hence a positive action. The usual Hebrew words tsedakah or tsedek have the connotation of legal justice, as in the biblical phrases, "Justice, justice, shall you pursue" (Deut. 16:20) and "Just balances, just weights" (Lev. 29:36), the latter in the context of righteousness in the market place.

In its ultimate ideal, the aspect of righteousness as justice is ascribed to God as in "A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, righteous and right is He" (Deut. 32:4) and "The Lord is righteous in all His ways" (Ps. 145:7).

In addition to having legal implications, righteousness implies adherence to moral teachings. Already Noah was described as "a man righteous and wholehearted" (Gen. 6:9) but it is the Prophets who particularly developed the ethical aspects of righteousness. To Amos, these are more important than mere legalisms (2:6; 5:12,23). Moreover, social righteousness must be complemented by inner repentance (see Social Ethics).

Total human righteousness is regarded by the author of Ecclesiastes as unattainable: "For there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and does not sin" (7:20), but this may be no more than a counsel of moderation in the spirit of his advice, "Be not righteous overmuch" (7:16). However, the later books of the Bible see the perfect world as one of "righteousness," while the Dead Sea sect saw their guide and model as the "Teacher of Righteousness."

In rabbinical ethics, as well as among the medieval moralists, the quality of righteousness means even more than conformity to legal and moral norms. It is also a state of deeper piety expressed in a character of deep spirituality, illustrated in acts of true Charity. Indeed, the word tsedakah is now used especially for charity. Special esteem attaches to the Tsaddik, the righteous man; the term becomes a title for a pious or saintly man, later to have a unique application in ḥasidism.

The world is sustained by the 36 Tsaddikim (see Lamed Vav Tsaddikim) while the Talmud glorifies the tsaddik as the ideal type of man to which all must aspire.

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The English word "righteousness" has no equivalent in Hebrew, and is used to translate various Bible concepts. The basic word tzedek refers to weights and balances (e.g. Lev 19:36) and things which are correct and precise (cf Deut 33:19; Ps 23:3). Applied to legal processes, it means "just" ("You shall follow what is altogether just" -– Deut 16:20). The cognate tzedakah is also translated "righteousness" (Gen 15:6; Deut 6:25; 24:13) and its opposite is "wickedness". (Later, the word tzedekah came to mean "charity").

Righteousness consists in doing what is just and right. A primary application is in the legal process. The verdicts of judges and the edicts of rulers must be righteous. "Righteousness" means innocence of a charge (Gen 20:4; 44:16; I Kgs 2:32) and Job, for example, repeatedly affirms his righteousness (Job 9:2; 13:18, etc.). Righteousness is the first quality required of a ruler (I Kgs 3:6; 10:9) and it goes without saying that it is an attribute of the divine ruler (Ps 45:7; 72:1-3; Ezek 45:9) whose ordinances are the ultimate righteousness (cf Ps 119:7).

Beyond mere abstention from wrongdoing, righteousness requires positive action (Jer 22:3; Prov 16:17) which transcends the legal context to issues of ethics and morality. It therefore becomes the keynote both of the legal code and of the teaching of the prophets. God accepted Abraham as a covenant partner so that he and his descendants "keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice" (Gen 18:19) while Israel is told by Moses "You shall follow what is altogether just that you may live and inherit the land" (Deut 16:20).

Persons who have violated ordinary canons of morality can occasionally be considered righteous. For instance, Tamar is acknowledged to be more righteous than judah although she has played the harlot, thus forcing her father-in-law to meet the demands of a relationship (Gen chap. 38). Similarly, King Saul conceded that David was more righteous than he, for David had remained a loyal subject by refusing to slay his sovereign (I Sam 24:17; cf I Sam 26:23 where David takes comfort in his own righteousness and in the assurance that the deity will reward him for sparing the king's life).

The covenant relationship between God and Israel is the primary context for understanding righteousness. Since the deity initiated this bond, it could only be abrogated by divine action. Of course, the claims within the relationship could be ignored; worse still, Israel could rebel against the very bond itself. The Law served as a guide within the relationship, for it stipulated the precise manner by which individuals could fulfill the demands imposed on the covenant people. The Law covered both positive and negative injunctions; it was therefore a valuable guide to life within a covenant relationship.

Another application of the word "righteous" designates a concrete reality in society. Victims of oppression were called righteous as early as the prophet Amos (Amos 2:6). The poor were apparently considered righteous, a tendency that becomes more noticeable within the Psalms. By NT times a community of the poor (Ebionites) was thought to occupy a special place in the divine plan. The Essene sect at Qumran called its leader the Teacher of Righteousness.

The OT concept of righteousness is taken up by the NT, where it can mean "innocent" (Matt 27:4) and "right" or "proper" (Matt 20:4; Luke 12:57). The Passion narrative uses righteousness in its forensic sense when Pilate's wife warns her husband about "that just man" (Matt 27:19) and the centurion declares Jesus' innocence (Luke 23:47). The range of use, is however broadened, particularly in the Pauline letters, where it is claimed that none but Christ can fulfill the demands of righteousness (Rom 3:10). Nevertheless God is acknowledged to be the true source of righteousness and the gift is an act of grace. Christians faithful to God will be considered righteous (Rom 4:22). God's righteousness is revealed through faith: "the just shall live by faith" (Rom 1:17) and apart from law (Rom 3:21). The Christian having been set free from sin becomes a slave of righteousness (Rom 6:18). See JUSTIFICATION.

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A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce

n.

A sturdy virtue that was once found among the Pantidoodles inhabiting the lower part of the peninsula of Oque. Some feeble attempts were made by returned missionaries to introduce it into several European countries, but it appears to have been imperfectly expounded. An example of this faulty exposition is found in the only extant sermon of the pious Bishop Rowley, a characteristic passage from which is here given:

        "Now righteousness consisteth not merely in a holy state of 
    mind, nor yet in performance of religious rites and obedience to 
    the letter of the law.  It is not enough that one be pious and 
    just:  one must see to it that others also are in the same state; 
    and to this end compulsion is a proper means.  Forasmuch as my 
    injustice may work ill to another, so by his injustice may evil be 
    wrought upon still another, the which it is as manifestly my duty 
    to estop as to forestall mine own tort.  Wherefore if I would be 
    righteous I am bound to restrain my neighbor, by force if needful, 
    in all those injurious enterprises from which, through a better 
    disposition and by the help of Heaven, I do myself restrain."

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IN BRIEF: The quality of being morally correct or honest; rectitude.

Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion. To attack the first is not to assail the last. — Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855)

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Dansk (Danish)
adj. - selvretfærdig, selvgod

Nederlands (Dutch)
overtuigd van de eigen goedheid, moraliserend

Français (French)
adj. - auto-satisfait

Deutsch (German)
adj. - selbstgerecht

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - υποκριτικός, ψευδευλαβής

Italiano (Italian)
bigotto, che si considera meglio degli altri

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - virtuoso aos seus próprios olhos, hipócrita

Русский (Russian)
лицемерный, самодовольный

Español (Spanish)
adj. - farisaico, santurrón

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - självrättfärdig

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
自以为是的

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 自以為是的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 독선적인, 자기 혼자 옳다고 하는

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 一人よがりの, 独善的な

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) معتقد بأنه أقوم أخلاقا من ألاخرين‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮מאמין בצדקתו, צדקן‬

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