Clementia bona est, si aequa manet et iustitiae non nocet.

Clementia is in the nominative singular, so it is the subject of the sentence.

• clementia = clemency, mercy
• nominative singular ending: -a (for a first-declension noun)

So the basic structure is:

• Clementia bona est = Clemency is good

Everything after that explains under what condition clemency is good.

Because bona must agree with clementia.

In Latin, adjectives agree with the noun they describe in:

• gender
• number
• case

Since clementia is:

• feminine
• singular
• nominative

the adjective must also be feminine singular nominative:

• bona = good

So:

• clementia bona est = clemency is good

If the noun were neuter, then you might see bonum.

Si means if and introduces a conditional clause.

So the sentence means:

• Clemency is good, if...

The two conditions are:

• si aequa manet = if it remains fair
• et iustitiae non nocet = and does not harm justice

So the structure is:

• main clause: Clementia bona est
• condition: si aequa manet et iustitiae non nocet

Because Latin often leaves out subject pronouns when they are understood from context.

In si aequa manet, the subject is still clementia, carried over from the first clause.

So Latin does not need to say ea (it/she) here. It is understood:

• si aequa manet = if it remains fair

This is very common in Latin. English usually needs the pronoun, but Latin often does not.

Aequa is an adjective agreeing with clementia.

Like bona, it is:

• feminine
• singular
• nominative

because it describes clementia.

So:

• aequa = fair, just, even-handed
• si aequa manet = if it remains fair

This is another example of adjective agreement.

Manet is from maneo, manere, meaning:

• to remain
• to stay
• to continue to be

Here it means remains:

• si aequa manet = if it remains fair

Grammatically:

• manet = 3rd person singular present active indicative

It matches the singular subject clementia.

Because noceo takes the dative, not the direct object accusative.

The verb here is nocet, from noceo, nocere, meaning:

• to harm
• to do harm to

In Latin, the person or thing harmed is put in the dative case.

So:

• iustitiae = to justice / justice
• non nocet = does not harm

This is an important verb pattern to remember:

• noceo + dative

So Latin says literally:

• and does not harm to justice

but in natural English:

• and does not harm justice

Nocet is from noceo, nocere.

It is:

• 3rd person singular
• present
• active
• indicative

So it means:

• he/she/it harms
• here: it harms

Since the subject is still clementia, the meaning is:

• and it does not harm justice

Because the sentence gives two conditions joined by et (and).

The idea is:

Clemency is good if

1. it remains fair, and
2. it does not harm justice.

So et connects:

• aequa manet
• iustitiae non nocet

Both belong under the condition introduced by si.

Yes, the word order is normal, but Latin is flexible.

This sentence is arranged quite clearly:

• Clementia bona est = main statement first
• si aequa manet et iustitiae non nocet = condition after it

Latin could rearrange words for emphasis, for example:

• Si aequa manet et iustitiae non nocet, clementia bona est.
• Clementia, si aequa manet et iustitiae non nocet, bona est.

Because endings show the grammatical roles, Latin does not depend on word order as much as English does.

Because this is a simple real condition.

Latin often uses:

• si
  • present indicative
• present indicative in the main clause

for a general truth or straightforward condition.

So:

• Clementia bona est, si aequa manet et iustitiae non nocet.

means something like:

• Clemency is good if it remains fair and does not harm justice.

There is no need for a special subjunctive here, because the condition is presented as a real, general principle.

Not always exactly. Clementia can mean:

• clemency
• mercy
• mildness
• leniency

Depending on context, it can suggest a merciful attitude, especially in judgment or punishment.

In this sentence, the idea is that mercy is good only when it stays balanced and does not conflict with justice.

So the Latin word overlaps strongly with English clemency, but the full sense may be a little broader.

A helpful way to break it down is:

• Clementia = subject
• bona est = predicate
• si... = conditional clause

More fully:

• Clementia — nominative singular subject
• bona — predicate adjective agreeing with clementia
• est — linking verb
• si — introduces the condition
• aequa — adjective agreeing with the understood subject clementia
• manet — verb, remains
• et — joins the two verbs in the condition
• iustitiae — dative after nocet
• non nocet — does not harm

So the sentence is a clear example of:

• a main clause
• followed by a conditional clause
• with adjective agreement
• and a verb that takes the dative