Proverbs 21:12

The righteous man. Some render this expression “a [or the] righteous One,” and apply it to God, thus avoiding the need to insert a different subject for the second clause. God keeps watch over the just and the unjust, to protect the one and to bring down the other when he becomes a menace (Job 12:19; Prov. 22:12). However, the correct translation of this verse is a matter of uncertainty. The ancient versions retain the idea “righteous man.” The LXX renders the verse, “A righteous man understands the hearts of the ungodly: and despises the ungodly for their wickedness.”