These two verses in Proverbs 11:16-17 go together. There are benefits to being a kindhearted woman and there are benefits to being a ruthless man. The first gains respect and the second gains wealth. This is what each brings to themselves from others. One brings in respect, the other brings in wealth. Both, kindness and ruthlessness have an advantage when used to advance in the temporal world.

The difference is seen in Proverbs 11:17 where the person’s behavior and the gain it produced in the world affects the two types of people. The kind person who gained respect from others brings
benefits on themselves. But, the ruthless, cruel person brings trouble on themselves.

Now with that information, you can decide how you want to behave in the world and what you
want to gain from the world!

"A democracy is an excellent form of government only if that society is full of moral, upright people."
- Galyn Wiemers

In 54 AD the Praetorian Guard proclaimed 16 year old Nero emperor because his mother, Agrippina, who had just poisoned her husband Emperor Claudius to create this vacancy, instructed them to.  Emperor Nero began wild late parties and rioting in the streets at the age of 19 in 56 AD. In 59 AD at the age of 22 Emperor Nero wanted to be the equivalent of a Hollywood movie star so he began to appear in plays and give public performances in the theater in. It was at this time he killed his mother. In 62 AD at the age of 25 Emperor Nero killed his wife, and began to pursue the dream of becoming become a “rock star” when he began to publicly perform his poetry and play the lyre. He also enter the Greek games as an athlete and to race chariots and, of course, was awarded first place. It was also in 62 AD that Nero would have heard Paul’s court case from Jerusalem and dismissed the charges. Paul was released. In 64 AD at the age of 26 Emperor Nero set Rome on fire with the intention of rebuilding it and calling it Neropolis, but when the irate public found out that Nero had started the fire Nero blamed a group called the Christians. Christians were arrested, tortured (by wild beasts in the arena, burned on poles to serve as lights after being cover with tar, etc.) Nero had Peter killed within a year of the fires. The Apostle Paul was decapitated during his second imprisonment and trial before Nero during the fall of 67 or spring of 68 AD on the Ostian Way. On June 9, 68 AD, at the age of 31, Nero stabbed himself in the neck to commit suicide instead of being captured by the Praetorian Guard who were searching to arrest him.