ro.a denotes wrongdoing in deeds, ways, and hearts, and can describe a bad or unusable condition.

The predominant use marks wrongful conduct or disposition, especially in construct phrases concerning deeds, a way, or the heart. In absolute form it also describes severely bad physical condition, as with cows and figs; one occurrence is presented in a context of sorrow.

1. Wrongdoing in conduct or disposition · dominant

   The construct form is attached to deeds, a way, or the heart in calls to turn, remove wrongdoing, or face judgment. In Jeremiah 23:22 the APB renders a call to turn people from their "evil way" and from the "evil of their deeds"; in 1 Samuel 17:28 it locates the matter in David's heart.

   1 Samuel 17:28Isaiah 1:16Jeremiah 23:22Jeremiah 25:5Jeremiah 44:22Psalm 28:4
2. Bad or unusable condition · common

   The absolute form describes the visibly poor condition of Pharaoh's cows in Genesis 41:19 and the figs that cannot be eaten in Jeremiah 24:2. The APB presents these clauses with "bad" cows and figs and their "badness," while the original-language token is supplied in absolute form.

   Genesis 41:19Jeremiah 24:2Jeremiah 24:3Jeremiah 24:8Jeremiah 29:17
3. Sorrowful adversity · rare

   In Ecclesiastes 7:3, the construct form occurs in the statement that sorrow is better than laughter and that a sad face makes the heart glad. The verse places the term in an adverse, sorrowful comparison rather than in a description of deeds or physical objects.

   Ecclesiastes 7:3

In the Anselm Project Bible: Across the conduct passages, the APB commonly uses phrases such as "evil of their deeds" and "evil way." In the animal and fig passages it uses "bad" and "badness," and in Ecclesiastes 7:3 it presents the setting as "sorrow"; these are verse-level renderings rather than definitions.