Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.
False witness in a matter touching a man's life combines lying, perjury, malice, theft, and murder all at once, dressed in the pretense of justice. Slandering and backbiting are species of false witness-bearing; the receiver of slander is as culpable as the thief who stole what he spreads.
AI summary
Commenting on Exodus 23:1-9
Do not champion a poor man's cause simply because he is poor, dressing up his wrong suit in fine words to make it plausible. Justice itself must be the standard, not pity for his poverty nor desire for applause. The law forbids respect of persons entirely, neither rich nor poor.
AI summary
countenance--adorn, embellish--thou shalt not varnish the cause even of a poor man to give it a better coloring than it merits.