刑罰與罪行兩者應相符。唐太宗強調(diào)刑罰的輕重要與罪行的嚴重程度相稱,只有這樣才能起到懲戒作用。“罰當其罪”的思想與現(xiàn)代刑法中“罪刑相適應”的理念有相通之處。
Punishments shall be compatible with their respective crimes.Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty emphasized that the severity of penalties shall be commensurate with the seriousness of crimes,and that only in this way can the disciplinary role of penalties be realized.The concept is similar to the modern criminal law principle of the punishment must fit the crime.
引例 Citation:
◎ 賞當其勞,無功者自退;罰當其罪,為惡者戒懼。(吳兢《貞觀政要·擇官》)(獎賞要與功績相當,沒有功績的人就會自動退避;懲罰要與罪過相稱,作惡的人就會有所戒懼。)
If the reward is commensurate with the merit,those without merit will naturally back off;if the punishment is commensurate with the crime,malefactors will be deterred.(Wu Jing:Important Political Affairs of the Zhenguan Reign)