Objective Rights

(Pro 31:8 KJV) Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

Again we see “rights” (1779) in the NASB.  The KJV translates it “cause”.  What rights do these people have.  We think of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  What did Proverbs include?  Actually this is a cultural translation.  The concept of rights as we think of them today were totally alien to the ancient world.  We tend to think of them as special protected activities or attitudes.  We think of speech, religion and assembly.  The word actually means “justice”. 

Justice is something that we are always supposed to stand up for but keep in mind that this is not the special privilege justice of modern politics.  This is a justice that is the same for rich or poor.  It is a justice based in the unchanging character of God and His concept of right and wrong.  It is a standard that is rejected by our modern culture.

So?  Again we see that we are to be different.  We are to follow the straight and narrow path and expect it of others too.