righteous

Everyday

1. Righteous means morally right and good, doing what is fair and honest. tree →
2. (Bible, church) A righteous person is one who lives the way God wants; Christians and Jews believe God loves the righteous. tree →
3. Righteous anger is anger you feel because something is truly unfair. tree →
4. (slang, US, a bit old-fashioned) Righteous can mean really great or excellent. tree →

In the lessons

In stories it tells the reader a character is good and fair, or sometimes that a character only thinks they are good (self-righteous). In church and Bible lessons it describes people who obey God (the righteous, the path of the righteous). Phrases: righteous anger, righteous cause, self-righteous (thinking you are better than others).

Examples

• The judge was a righteous man who treated everyone fairly. tree →
• Noah was called a righteous man in the Bible story. tree →
• She felt a righteous anger when the bully took the little boy's lunch. tree →
• The psalm says the righteous will flourish like a palm tree. tree →
• Fighting for clean water for the village is a righteous cause. tree →
• Don't be so self-righteous; you forget your homework too! tree →
• (slang, US) That skateboard jump was totally righteous, dude. tree →

Note

Sounds like RY-chus. Not used for maths. Self-righteous is not a compliment: it means smug about being good. The opposite is unrighteous or wicked. Say «a righteous person», not «a righteous».

In Jewish tradition

In the Torah a righteous person is one who does what is just and what God wants. Noah and Abraham are called this.

Interpretation. Tradition calls such a person a tzaddik. The rabbis taught that a tzaddik may still make mistakes but keeps trying to follow God.

Examples

• Noah was in his generations a man righteous and whole-hearted; Noah walked with God. (Torah GEN.6.9, JPS 1917) tree →
• Let me die the death of the righteous, and let mine end be like his! (Torah NUM.23.10, JPS 1917) tree →
• And Abraham drew near, and said: 'Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? (Torah GEN.18.23, JPS 1917) tree →
• If thou be righteous, what givest thou Him? (Writings JOB.35.7, JPS 1917) tree →
• Do ye indeed speak as a righteous company? (Writings PSA.58.2, JPS 1917) tree →
• When the foundations are destroyed, what hath the righteous wrought? (Writings PSA.11.3, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Sounds like RY-chus. Not used for maths. Self-righteous is not a compliment: it means smug about being good. The opposite is unrighteous or wicked. Say «a righteous person», not «a righteous».