(ה) מַהוּ שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי שֶׁיְהֵא הַשּׁוֹטֵר כַּשּׁוֹפֵט, כְּשֶׁיִהְיוּ הַמַּעֲשִׂים כְּנֶגֶד הַמַּקֵּל וְהָרְצוּעָה, וְשֶׁלֹא יְהֵא הַמַּכֶּה צָרִיךְ לִלְקוֹת. דָּבָר אַחֵר, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ דִּין אֵין דַּיָּן, וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין דִּין יֵשׁ דַּיָּן, וּמַהוּ כֵן, אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, אִם נַעֲשָׂה הַדִּין לְמַטָּה, אֵין הַדִּין נַעֲשָׂה לְמַעְלָה, וְאִם לֹא נַעֲשָׂה הַדִּין לְמַטָּה הַדִּין נַעֲשָׂה לְמַעְלָה.
(5) What is meant by "judges and officials"? The Rabbis say that the official should be like the judge, that deeds correspond to the stick and the lash and the one delivering the punishment should not need to receive lashes. Another matter: Rabbi Eliezer says, "In a place where there is justice, there is no judge; in a place where there is no justice, there is a judge." And what is this? Rather, says Rabbi Eliezer,"If we make justice below, there will be no justice above. And if we do not make justice below, there will be justice above."