an eye for an eye
Matched harm returned
An eye for an eye is the principle that punishment should match the offense—if someone takes your eye, you take theirs.
From the biblical Book of Exodus, it originally limited excessive revenge by capping retaliation at equal harm.
Now often invoked to justify or critique retributive justice: An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.
- ancient lawLegal rule from antiquity
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
- biblical referencesCitations from holy scripture
- HammurabiAncient Babylonian king-legislator
- vengeanceRetaliation for injury
justice · blind justice · proportionality · fairness · reciprocity · two wrongs · getting even · settling scores · penal code · morality · ethics · jurisprudence · punishment · criminal law · Old Testament · equity · just deserts · restitution
- legal maximscaveat emptor, mens rea, bona fide, prima facie, ex post facto
- moral sayingsdo unto others, golden rule, do the right thing, honesty is the best policy, treat others fairly
an eye for an eyeturn the other cheek
Refuse to retaliate
forgiveness · mercy · compassion · grace · pardon
an eye for an eyeturn the other cheek
Refuse to retaliate
forgive and forget · letting bygones be bygones · water under the bridge
oversee, eyeball, foresee, eyelid, eyeglasses, eyewitness, eyeing, eyelids, eyeballs