-Elena, that's not idiomatic. When does someone say this? For example, if you do something nice and someone thanks you profusely, and you say "Я всего лишь справедлив". ?

Yes, grumbler, you need the BEING (not in parentheses). However, ONLY would be better.

Uly, for example, when somebody has to do something which is fair but somehow against somebody's interests, he may say this phrase, explaining why did it - because he felt it fair but he had nothing against the other person.

Aha! I got it. Thanks!

You're welcome! Is my second try OK?

...feel IT'S fair

You could also say "because I feel it's only fair"

It depends on who talks. If it's a formal conversation we can say "Ничего личного", it is said usually ironically.

???

Ничего личного - I have nothing personal against you ?)

Sorry, Elena, what does that have to do with this sentence?

Я всего лишь справедлив. Ничего личного. Because I feel it's only fair. Nothing personal against you.

Oh!

Not clear?

Yes, now it is. Thank you 😊

Thanks, Uly. I corrected my version.
With regard to "nothing personal", I think typically it's a clarification to "it's just business", not "it's fair".

Here I can't agree with you, Grumbler: http://www.bolshoyvopros.ru/questions/29798-chto-znachit-vyrazhenie-nichego-lichnogo.html

I agree. But at least it clears up the attitude of the speaker. Initially I thought this expression was used when someone is praised for doing something good, and they answer "I'm nothing if not fair" meaning "I may have my defects and shortcomings, but at the end of the day I am a just person, so no need to praise me." Am I on the right track?

I think it is said a little ironically, to justify oneself why he acted in such a way. When somebody is praised for something good, he would say: Я ничего особенного не сделал. это мой долг"

Elena's suggestion is conceivable. Say there's a new opening in a company. One of the employees and on of the owner's sons both want the job. The owner could say to the son: "You'll both have to apply and go through the interview process. Nothing personal - I'm just being fair."

Elena, in English "I'm nothing if not fair" means "You can say anything you want about me, but you can't say I'm not fair." Can всего лишь be used in the same way?

A: [to boss] Mr. Vaugh, thank you for paying my hospital bill. You didn't have to do that.
B: Well, I'm nothing if not fair. After all, you broke your wrist in my office during working hours.

Elena, I think BECAUSE in your translation is misleading. You could've left it off.

Uly, it was your suggestion with "because"☺

I think, in your dialoge Mr Vaugh would say in Russian: Это всего лишь мой долг

Elena, I was only repeating the "because" in your original translation.

- Из-за Вашей плохой оценки наш сын не попал на олимпиаду. А вот его соседу по парте Вы поставили "отлично", хотя он весь год хуже учился, чем наш сын.
- Я был всего лишь справедлив. Ваш сын не был пдготовлен в тот раз.

OK then, I was only being fair. It was only fair. It was the only fair thing to do.

ok!

thanks you profusely - рассыпается в благодарностях😆

А вообще, никогда в жизни не слышала фразы:"Я всего лишь справедлив". Улий, откуда она?

Это было пример в какой-то книге.

Но мне режет слух почему-то. Когда говорят:"я честен/ справедлив/ умён" - это воспринимается как обобщение, то есть, человек как бы утверждает, что он такой в принципе, по жизни, как сейчас говорят. Когда же речь идёт о конкретной ситуации, как в ваших примерах, то с большей вероятностью мы услышим: "Ну что здесь такого, я просто ПОСТУПАЮ ПО СПРАВЕДЛИВОСТИ". Но опять же, это сугубо моё личное мнение.)