בַּאֲשֶׁר דְּבַר מֶלֶךְ שִׁלְטוֹן, אָמַר רַבִּי בּוֹן כְּתִיב (דברים ו, טז): לֹא תְנַסּוּ, (בראשית כב, א): וְהָאֱלֹהִים נִסָּה, (ויקרא יט, יח): לֹא תִקֹּם וְלֹא תִטֹּר, כְּתִיב (נחום א, ב): אֵל קַנּוֹא וְנֹקֵם ה'. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי לְרַב שֶׁהָיָה מְצַוֶּה אֶת תַּלְמִידוֹ, וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ: לֹא תַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט, וְהוּא מַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט. לֹא תַכִּיר פָּנִים, וְהוּא מַכִּיר פָּנִים. אָמַר לוֹ הַתַּלְמִיד רַבִּי לָךְ שָׁרֵי וְלִי אָסוּר. אָמַר לוֹ אֵינִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹא תַלְוֶה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרִבִּית, אֲבָל הַלְוֵה לְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כג, כא): לַנָּכְרִי תַשִּׁיךְ. כָּךְ אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הָא כָּתַבְתָּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ (ויקרא יט, יח): לֹא תִקֹּם וְלֹא תִטֹּר, וְאַתְּ נוֹקֵם וְנוֹטֵר. אֲמַר לְהוֹן, לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא אֶטֹּר, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים קג, ט): לֹא לָנֶצַח יָרִיב וְלֹא לְעוֹלָם יִטּוֹר, אֲבָל לְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים (נחום א, ב): נֹקֵם ה' לְצָרָיו וְנוֹטֵר הוּא לְאֹיְבָיו. אָמַר הִכְתַּבְתִּי בְּתוֹרָתִי: לֹא תִקֹּם וְלֹא תִטֹּר אֶת בְּנֵי עַמֶּךָ, אֲבָל נוֹקֵם אַתְּ לְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לא, ב): נְקֹם נִקְמַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: בַּאֲשֶׁר דְּבַר מֶלֶךְ שִׁלְטוֹן.
“Since the king's word has power, and who will say to him: What are you doing” (Ecclesiastes 8:4). “Since the king's word has power.” Rabbi Bon said: It is written: “Do not test [the Lord]” (Deuteronomy 6:16), “and God tested [Abraham]” (Genesis 22:1), “Do not take vengeance and do not bear a grudge” (Leviticus 19:18), “the Lord is a zealous and vengeful God” (Nahum 1:2). [This is analogous] to a rabbi who would command his disciple, and say to him: ‘Do not divert judgment,’ but he [the rabbi] diverts judgment; ‘do not give preferential treatment,’ but he gives preferential treatment. The disciple said to him: ‘Rabbi, for you it is permitted and for me it is prohibited?’ [The rabbi] said to him: ‘I am telling you only that you may not lend to an Israelite with interest, but lend to a gentile, as it is written: “You may take interest from a gentile” (Deuteronomy 23:21).’ So too, Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, did You not write in Your Torah: “Do not take vengeance and do not bear a grudge” (Leviticus 19:18)? But You take vengeance and bear a grudge.’ He said to them: ‘I will not bear a grudge against Israel, as it is written: “He will not contend to eternity or forever bear a grudge” (Psalms 103:9); however, for the nations of the world: “The Lord is vengeful to His foes and bears a grudge against His enemies” (Nahum 1:2). I dictated to you in My Torah: “Do not take vengeance and do not bear a grudge against the members of your people” (Leviticus 19:18), but you may take vengeance against the nations of the world, as it is stated: “Avenge the children of Israel [on the Midianites]” (Numbers 31:2),’ to realize what is written: “Since the king's word has power, [and who will say to him: What are you doing].”