Shakespear question. Can you figure out what he meant here?

Question

I have to disect this quote from the play King Lear:

through tattered clothes small vices do appear;

robes and furr'd gowns hide all. Plate sin with gold:

And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks;

Arm it in rags, a pigmy's straw does pierce it.

Anyone know what he's saying here?

Answer 1

Lear says this to Gloucester in one of his moments of reason.

It means that when the poor break the law, more people will take notice, and they suffer more for it as well, compared to rich people.

Act 4, Scene 6, Lines 180-183

Answer 2

it means that the richer someone becomes, the less people will take notice of their flaws, and in this way, justice itself is distorted to favor the rich (btw does king lear himself say that or is this Edmund?)

If this isn't exactly the explanation you are looking for, contact me with what act, scene, and lines these are and I will tell you the translation out of my spark notes book