That old law about 'an eye for an eye' leaves everybody blind.

Martin Luther King, Jr., the prophet of nonviolence and herald of justice, spoke with unshakable clarity when he declared: “That old law about ‘an eye for an eye’ leaves everybody blind. The time is always right to do the right thing.” In these words, he does not merely criticize vengeance, but he lifts our vision to the higher law of love, mercy, and righteousness. He reminds us that justice rooted in retaliation destroys all, but justice rooted in righteousness redeems both victim and oppressor. His words are as a torch handed down to future generations, to light their way when darkness threatens to overwhelm them.

The meaning of this saying begins with the ancient command: “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” a law given to limit vengeance, to keep punishment equal and restrained. Yet King saw how this principle, if carried without compassion, becomes a cycle of endless harm. To take an eye for an eye does not heal wounds, but multiplies them, until all are left sightless, groping in a world without vision. Instead of this endless cycle of retribution, King calls us to a higher path—the path of nonviolence, forgiveness, and courageous moral action.

The second part of the saying, “The time is always right to do the right thing,” strikes like a drumbeat in the heart. Too often, men delay justice, waiting for a more convenient season, a more favorable moment. King rejects this delay. He proclaims that righteousness does not wait, that the call of conscience is not bound by clocks or calendars. Justice delayed is justice denied, and the moment to act rightly is always now. These words echo his life’s work, for he refused to let America postpone freedom for its Black citizens any longer.

History itself bears testimony to the truth of his words. Consider the example of Mahatma Gandhi, who, before King, led India in nonviolent resistance against the British Empire. Many called for violent revolution, but Gandhi understood that an “eye for an eye” would plunge his people into endless war. Instead, he taught that resisting injustice with peace could break the chains without destroying the spirit. His legacy, like King’s, proves that mercy and righteousness are mightier than retaliation.

We see the opposite lesson in Rome’s decline. Feuds, revenge killings, and endless civil wars blinded the Republic until it fell into tyranny. Generals and senators struck one another down, justifying it by law and vengeance, but in the end Rome’s vision was extinguished by its own blindness. King’s words warn us against repeating such folly: vengeance corrodes the soul of nations as surely as it does the soul of men.

The lesson for us is both personal and collective. In our daily lives, we are tempted to repay injury with injury, insult with insult, hatred with hatred. But King teaches that this path blinds us all. Instead, we must rise above bitterness, choosing forgiveness where vengeance tempts us, and choosing courage where passivity lulls us. Likewise, in society, we must not wait for “a better time” to do what we know is right—whether in confronting injustice, defending the weak, or standing for truth. The moment to act rightly is always this moment.

Practical wisdom flows from these words: when wronged, breathe before you strike back. Ask yourself, “Will this action heal, or will it only wound again?” Seek ways to break cycles of conflict rather than fuel them. When faced with injustice, resist the voice that says, “Wait until tomorrow,” and instead answer with, “I will do what is right, now.” For righteousness is not bound by circumstance, and courage is not measured by convenience.

Thus King’s words live on, not merely as a cry of the past, but as a summons to all who live today. “An eye for an eye” is the law of blindness; “the right thing” is the law of sight. And the time for that sight is not tomorrow, but always now. Take this teaching, O listener, and walk with it in your heart: forgive where you are tempted to hate, act where you are tempted to delay, and let justice and mercy guide your every step. For in doing so, you will not only see—you will help the world to see.