אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יַכֶּ֖נּוּ לֹ֣א יֹסִ֑יף פֶּן־יֹסִ֨יף לְהַכֹּת֤וֹ עַל־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ מַכָּ֣ה רַבָּ֔ה וְנִקְלָ֥ה אָחִ֖יךָ לְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ (ס)
Forty stripes he may give him, he shall not exceed; lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should be dishonoured before thine eyes.
Targum Jonathan on Deuteronomy
Forty (stripes) may be laid upon him, but with one less shall he be beaten, (the full number) shall not be completed, lest he should add to smite him beyond those thirty and nine, exorbitantly, and he be in danger; and that thy brother may not be made despicable in thy sight.