יוֹסֵי בֶן יוֹעֶזֶר אִישׁ צְרֵדָה וְיוֹסֵי בֶן יוֹחָנָן אִישׁ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם קִבְּלוּ מֵהֶם. יוֹסֵי בֶן יוֹעֶזֶר אִישׁ צְרֵדָה אוֹמֵר, יְהִי בֵיתְךָ בֵית וַעַד לַחֲכָמִים, וֶהֱוֵי מִתְאַבֵּק בַּעֲפַר רַגְלֵיהֶם, וֶהֱוֵי שׁוֹתֶה בְצָמָא אֶת דִּבְרֵיהֶם:
Yossi ben Yoezer Ish Tzreidah [the Nassi] and Yossi ben Yochanan Ish Yerushalayim [the av beth-din] received it from them. [All the tannaim mentioned in this chapter by pairs — "This and this tanna received it from these and these" — the first is the Nassi and the second, the av beth-din.] Yossi ben Yoezer says Let your house be a house of gathering for the sages. [When the sages wish to convene somewhere, let your house be the designated place, that they be accustomed to say: Let us meet in this and this one's house. For it is impossible that you not learn of them (thereby) some article of wisdom. To what may this be compared? To one's entering a spice shop. Even if he takes nothing, he absorbs the aroma and it leaves with him], and be dusted by the dust of their feet. [That is, follow them. For a walker raises dust with his feet, and one who walks after him is dusted by this dust. Alternately, sit at their feet on the ground. For that was the practice. The teacher would sit on a bench and the disciples would sit at his feet on the ground], and drink their words with thirst, [as a thirsty man, who drinks to quench his thirst, and not as a sated man, who despises his food, even what is tasty and good.]
Or Neerav
This is the advice necessary for the man whom the king wishes to honor (Esther 6:6). Peace of mind to the poor and lowly of spirit, who trembles at His word (Isa. 66:2). Let him not boast of the morrow (Prov. 27:1), “for the reward of [the performance of] a commandment is a commandment” (Avot 4:2). He desired it for his habitation (Ps. 132:13); until the day breathe (Song 2:17) man will go out to his labor (Ps. 104:23), [which] will be accepted for him (Lev. 1:4), his fruit in its time (Ps. 1:3). This tarrying in the house for a little (Ruth 2:7), for the command of the king was urgent (I Sam. 21:9). Prepare outside your sword and your bow (Gen. 27:3), and do all your labor (Exod. 20:9) in Scripture, Mishnah, and Gemara, and there will be stored for you in the field of apples a heap of good deeds. Afterwards you will build your house “as a meeting house for the sages” (Avot 1:4), numerous and perfect (Nah. 1:12), seated upon judgment seats (Judg. 5.10) in holiness, and receiving one from another in whispers, crowned with their tefillin and fringes which they make for themselves (Deut. 22:12) to wrap themselves with awe and fear. They seclude themselves like standing Seraphim (Isa. 6:2), like brethren sitting together (Ps. 133:1). And if, as God lives (I Sam. 20:3), they speak of the face of the eagle (Ezek. 1:10), they were swifter and stronger than lions (I Samuel 1:23), and the noise of the wings of the living creatures (Ezek. 3:13) says, Blessed be the glory of God (Ezek. 3:12), who loves righteousness (Ps. 11:7), and the words rejoice as when they were given at Sinai from before God, the Lord of all the earth (Josh. 3:13).
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