Ah, yes. The ancients believed justice was like the river that cuts through stone. It flows relentlessly, shaping the path of those who stand in its wake. They saw fairness not as a decree of kings, but as the balance of the forest: when a hawk takes a mouse, the forest still thrives, and when a deer is struck, the soil is left hungry. So we learn that true justice must honor the natural order, not merely impose a rigid law. It teaches patience and humility, remembering that every creature has its own role in the cycle.

I hear you, but remember the old tale of the raven and the farmer. The raven took the grain, yet the farmer did not strike him; instead he let the raven leave and taught him to bring the corn in exchange. Justice, the ancients saw, was not only about the swift strike but about setting a lasting harmony. If we merely punish without understanding, we may break the balance and sow future trouble. So perhaps we should consider the cause as well as the effect, lest we become like the river that erodes its own banks.