The just is close to the people’s heart, but the merciful is close to the heart of God.

The saying contrasts two kinds of moral excellence. “The just” suggests the person who is fair, principled, and law-abiding—qualities that earn public trust and admiration (“close to the people’s heart”). “The merciful,” however, goes beyond strict justice into compassion, forgiveness, and generosity toward the vulnerable or guilty. By placing mercy “close to the heart of God,” the line implies a hierarchy: justice is socially necessary and publicly honored, but mercy is spiritually higher, aligning the human heart with divine love. The aphorism thus nudges readers to temper righteousness with compassion, suggesting that what wins human approval is not always what most resembles the divine.