Proverbs 11:31

The righteous shall be recompensed, i.e. punished for his sins, as appears from the next clause; the general word being here used of this one particular, by a synecdoche. In the earth; whereby he intimates that all his sufferings are confined to this world, which is an unspeakable felicity. Much more, they shall be punished more certainly and more severely, either in this life or in the next, the wicked and the sinner; those who make sin their great study, and daily and most delightful exercise. Compare this verse with 1 Peter 4:18, which is a good comment upon it.