Pirkei Avot 2

רַבִּי אוֹמֵר, אֵיזוֹהִי דֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה שֶׁיָּבֹר לוֹ הָאָדָם, כֹּל שֶׁהִיא תִפְאֶרֶת לְעוֹשֶׂיהָ וְתִפְאֶרֶת לוֹ מִן הָאָדָם. וֶהֱוֵי זָהִיר בְּמִצְוָה קַלָּה כְבַחֲמוּרָה, שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל מִצְוֹת. וֶהֱוֵי מְחַשֵּׁב הֶפְסֵד מִצְוָה כְּנֶגֶד שְׂכָרָהּ, וּשְׂכַר עֲבֵרָה כְנֶגֶד הֶפְסֵדָהּ. וְהִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים וְאִי אַתָּה בָא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה, דַּע מַה לְּמַעְלָה מִמְּךָ, עַיִן רוֹאָה וְאֹזֶן שׁוֹמַעַת, וְכָל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ בַסֵּפֶר נִכְתָּבִין:

Rabbi says: Which is the just path that a man should choose for himself? All that is gratifying to its doer and that earns him the praise of man. [And this will obtain when he walks in all the middoth (character traits) in the middle path and does not incline to one of the two extremes. For if he is extremely stingy, this is gratifying to him, for he thereby amasses great wealth, but men do not praise him for this. And if he is vainly extravagant, the men who receive from him praise him, but this (extravagance) is not gratifying to its doer, for he thereby reduces himself to poverty. But the middah of generosity, which is the mean between stinginess and extravagance, is gratifying to its doer, for he thereby preserves his wealth and is not overly extravagant, and this earns him the praise of men for living as he should. The same is true of all of the middoth]. And take heed of a "light" mitzvah as of a "heavy" one, for you do not know the reward of mitzvoth. [The Torah does not specify the reward of one who fulfills a positive commandment nor the punishment of one who fails to fulfill it. For the punishments of the negative commandments are specific: stoning, burning, the sword, strangulation, cutting-off, death at the hands of Heaven, stripes — the light punishment for the "light" transgression, and the heavy punishment for the "heavy" one], and weigh the "loss" of (performing) a mitzvah [i.e., what you lose of your wares or your money by engaging in a mitzvah] against its reward [in this world or the next, which will exceed that loss], and the "reward" of a transgression [i.e., what you gain from it] against its loss [i.e., what you are destined to lose by it.], and contemplate these things and you will not come to transgression: Know what is above you — a seeing eye and a hearing ear and all of your deeds are recorded in a book.

רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הַנָּשִׂיא אוֹמֵר, יָפֶה תַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה עִם דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, שֶׁיְּגִיעַת שְׁנֵיהֶם מְשַׁכַּחַת עָוֹן. וְכָל תּוֹרָה שֶׁאֵין עִמָּהּ מְלָאכָה, סוֹפָהּ בְּטֵלָה וְגוֹרֶרֶת עָוֹן. וְכָל הָעֲמֵלִים עִם הַצִּבּוּר, יִהְיוּ עֲמֵלִים עִמָּהֶם לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁזְּכוּת אֲבוֹתָם מְסַיַּעְתָּן וְצִדְקָתָם עוֹמֶדֶת לָעַד. וְאַתֶּם, מַעֲלֶה אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה כְּאִלּוּ עֲשִׂיתֶם:

R. Gamliel, the son of R. Yehudah Hanassi says: Torah study is "becoming" with derech eretz [labor or business], for the toil of both causes sin to be forgotten. [For the Torah attenuates a man's strength and labor breaks the body, and, as a result, the evil inclination departs from him. And if you would ask: If so, let him toil in Torah always and its toil would banish sin. Why, then, is labor needed? It, therefore, must be stated:] And all Torah without labor is lost in the end and foments sin. [For one cannot live without a livelihood and his end will be to rob men, and his learning will be forgotten.] And all who toil with the congregation, let them toil with them for the sake of Heaven. For the merit of their [the congregation's] fathers and their righteousness (which) stands forever, [and not the exertions of the toilers] will help them, [the toilers, to bring their righteousness to light.] And you, [the toilers], I will bestow great reward upon you, as if you had done it. [Even though this good was effected not through your deeds, but through the merit of the fathers of the congregation, I will bestow reward upon you as if you had wrought this great salvation in Israel, since you toil for the sake of Heaven. Alternately: all who toil with the congregation to compel them to (the performance of) a mitzvah — to charity or the redemption of captives — let them do so for the sake of Heaven. For the merit of the fathers of the congregation will help them give what they (the toilers) impose upon them — even great wealth. And the charity that they (the congregation) do will stand for them forever. And you who compel the congregation towards this mitzvah — I shall bestow reward upon you as if you had performed the mitzvah with your very wealth. And Rambam explains: "And I will bestow upon you reward as if you had done them" — If in your toil with the congregation, you have omitted the performance of a certain mitzvah, I will bestow reward upon you as if you had performed that mitzvah.]

הֱווּ זְהִירִין בָּרָשׁוּת, שֶׁאֵין מְקָרְבִין לוֹ לָאָדָם אֶלָּא לְצֹרֶךְ עַצְמָן. נִרְאִין כְּאוֹהֲבִין בִּשְׁעַת הֲנָאָתָן, וְאֵין עוֹמְדִין לוֹ לָאָדָם בִּשְׁעַת דָּחְקוֹ:

[You, who toil with the congregation, even though you must ingratiate yourself with the authorities in order to see to the needs of the congregation,] take heed of the authorities, for they draw one near only for their own ends. They appear to be lovers when things are going well for them, but they do not stand by a man in the time of his distress.

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה רְצוֹנוֹ כִרְצוֹנְךָ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה רְצוֹנְךָ כִרְצוֹנוֹ. בַּטֵּל רְצוֹנְךָ מִפְּנֵי רְצוֹנוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּבַטֵּל רְצוֹן אֲחֵרִים מִפְּנֵי רְצוֹנֶךָ. הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּפְרֹשׁ מִן הַצִּבּוּר, וְאַל תַּאֲמִין בְּעַצְמְךָ עַד יוֹם מוֹתְךָ, וְאַל תָּדִין אֶת חֲבֵרְךָ עַד שֶׁתַּגִּיעַ לִמְקוֹמוֹ, וְאַל תֹּאמַר דָּבָר שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִשְׁמֹעַ, שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לְהִשָּׁמַע. וְאַל תֹּאמַר לִכְשֶׁאִפָּנֶה אֶשְׁנֶה, שֶׁמָּא לֹא תִפָּנֶה:

He was wont to say: Make His will like your will [i.e., Spread your wealth for the "desires" of Heaven as if they were your will, as if you spread it for your desires], so that He make your will like His will [i.e., so that He grant you good with an open hand.] Void your will before His will so that He void the will of others before your will [i.e., so that He void the will of all who rise against you for evil. And I have heard that this is a euphemism for "so that He void His will for your will." [As stated (Shabbath 63a): "If one performs a mitzvah as ordained, even a seventy-year decree is voided for him."] Hillel says: Do not separate from the congregation, [but share in their sorrow, for all who separate from the congregation do not merit seeing the consolation of the congregation (Ta'anith 11a)], and do not trust in yourself until the day of your death. [For Yochanan Cohein Gadol served as high-priest for eighty years, and, in the end, became a Sadducee (Berachoth 29a)], and do not judge your friend until you arrive at his place [i.e., if you see your friend being tested and failing, do not judge him guilty until you are put to the same test and succeed.], and do not say a thing which cannot be heard, which can be heard in the end [i.e., let your words not be ambiguous ones, which cannot be understood in the beginning, at first hearing, assuming that if the hearer analyzes them, in the end he will understand them. For this will lead people to mistake your words and possibly to come to heresy because of you. Alternately: Do not reveal your secret, even between you and yourself, saying that there is no one here to hear you, for in the end it will be heard, "for a bird of heaven will carry the voice, etc." (Koheleth 10:20). According to this interpretation, the reading is "for in the end it will be heard." But Rashi reads it "And do not say of a thing [words of Torah] which can be heard (now) that it can be heard in the end," but incline your ear like a hopper and hear it now.], and do not say: When I can free myself [of my affairs] I shall learn (Torah); perhaps you will not free yourself.

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אֵין בּוּר יְרֵא חֵטְא, וְלֹא עַם הָאָרֶץ חָסִיד, וְלֹא הַבַּיְשָׁן לָמֵד, וְלֹא הַקַּפְּדָן מְלַמֵּד, וְלֹא כָל הַמַּרְבֶּה בִסְחוֹרָה מַחְכִּים. וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין אֲנָשִׁים, הִשְׁתַּדֵּל לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ:

He was wont to say: "A bur will not fear sin." [A "bur" is one who is "empty" of everything (the Targum of Genesis 47:19 "And the land will not be empty" is "And the land will not be bur.") He is empty even of business acumen and is worse than an "ignoramus"], and an ignoramus cannot be a saint, [but, having business acumen, he can be a fearer of sin], and he who is ashamed will not learn. [Being ashamed to ask lest he be mocked, he will remain with his doubts forever], and the pedant will not teach. [He who is "pedantic" (not forthcoming) with his students when they ask him, will not teach correctly. He must be "open" with them in (the teaching of) halachah], and all who (over) engage in trade will not be wise, [viz. Deuteronomy 30:13: "And it is not across the seas" — Torah is not to be found with those who cross the seas (in trade). (Eruvin 55a)], and in a place where there are no men [to sit at the head and render halachic decisions], strive to be a man.

אַף הוּא רָאָה גֻלְגֹּלֶת אַחַת שֶׁצָּפָה עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם. אָמַר לָהּ, עַל דַּאֲטֵפְתְּ, אַטְפוּךְ. וְסוֹף מְטִיפַיִךְ יְטוּפוּן:

He (Hillel), too, saw a certain skull floating on the water. He said to it: "Because you drowned (others), you were drowned." [You were an evildoer and you drowned them in the river, and measure for measure was it meted out to you], and in the end, your drowners will be drowned, [for it was not for them to drown you, but for beth-din; and the Holy One Blessed be He handed you over to them. For liability is relegated to the liable, and He is destined afterwards to demand your death of them.]

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, מַרְבֶּה בָשָׂר, מַרְבֶּה רִמָּה. מַרְבֶּה נְכָסִים, מַרְבֶּה דְאָגָה. מַרְבֶּה נָשִׁים, מַרְבֶּה כְשָׁפִים. מַרְבֶּה שְׁפָחוֹת, מַרְבֶּה זִמָּה. מַרְבֶּה עֲבָדִים, מַרְבֶּה גָזֵל. מַרְבֶּה תוֹרָה, מַרְבֶּה חַיִּים. מַרְבֶּה יְשִׁיבָה, מַרְבֶּה חָכְמָה. מַרְבֶּה עֵצָה, מַרְבֶּה תְבוּנָה. מַרְבֶּה צְדָקָה, מַרְבֶּה שָׁלוֹם. קָנָה שֵׁם טוֹב, קָנָה לְעַצְמוֹ. קָנָה לוֹ דִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, קָנָה לוֹ חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא:

He who increases flesh increases worms. [One who eats and drinks overmuch until he becomes fat and fleshy increases worms for himself in the grave, and "worms are as painful to the dead as a needle in the flesh of the living." This tanna comes to apprise us that all indulgences are detrimental to a man except indulgence in Torah, in wisdom, and in charity.] He who increases possessions increases worry, [lest they rob him or lest highwaymen fall upon him and kill him. (A certain chasid would pray: "May He preserve me from 'scattering my soul.'" When he was asked: "What is 'scattering of soul'?" He answered: "Having many possessions scattered in many places and having to 'scatter' one's soul to think in this direction and that."] He who increases wives increases witchcraft. He who increases maidservants increases lewdness. He who increases manservants increases theft. [The rationale for the sequence is as follows: First a man primps himself and eats and drinks and increases flesh. Then he seeks to increase possessions, and after he does so, he sees that he has enough to feed many wives. After he increases wives, each one needs a maidservant, which he supplies. Since he has many household members, he requires fields and vineyards to supply them with wine and food, and he increases servants to work the fields and the vineyards — thus the sequence.] He who increases Torah increases life, [as it is written (Deuteronomy 30:20): "For it is your life and the length of your days."] He who increases sitting (and learning) increases wisdom. [Many disciples gather and come to hear his conjectures. Some understand it as: He who increases disciples increases wisdom, for they sharpen him and add to his wisdom.] He who increases (the taking of) counsel increases understanding [one thing from another through the counsels of his advisers]. He who increases charity increases peace, [as it is written (Isaiah 32:17): "And the act of charity will be (i.e., will lead to) peace."] He who acquires a good name acquires it for himself. He who acquires words of Torah acquires for himself life in the world to come.

רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי קִבֵּל מֵהִלֵּל וּמִשַּׁמָּאי. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, אַל תַּחֲזִיק טוֹבָה לְעַצְמְךָ, כִּי לְכָךְ נוֹצָרְתָּ. חֲמִשָּׁה תַלְמִידִים הָיוּ לוֹ לְרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס, וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן חֲנַנְיָה, וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַכֹּהֵן, וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן נְתַנְאֵל, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ. הוּא הָיָה מוֹנֶה שִׁבְחָן. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס, בּוֹר סוּד שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְאַבֵּד טִפָּה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן חֲנַנְיָה, אַשְׁרֵי יוֹלַדְתּוֹ. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַכֹּהֵן, חָסִיד. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן נְתַנְאֵל, יְרֵא חֵטְא. וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ, מַעְיָן הַמִּתְגַּבֵּר. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אִם יִהְיוּ כָל חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַף מֹאזְנַיִם, וֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס בְּכַף שְׁנִיָּה, מַכְרִיעַ אֶת כֻּלָּם. אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר מִשְּׁמוֹ, אִם יִהְיוּ כָל חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַף מֹאזְנַיִם וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס אַף עִמָּהֶם, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ בְּכַף שְׁנִיָּה, מַכְרִיעַ אֶת כֻּלָּם:

R. Yochanan ben Zakkai received it from Hillel and from Shammai. He was wont to say: If you have learned much Torah, do not take credit for it, [to say: "I have learned much Torah." For you were created for this. (It is because he left neither Scripture, Mishnah, halachah, and aggadah which he did not learn, that he said this.)] R. Yochanan ben Zakkai had five disciples: R. Eliezer ben Hurkanos, R. Yehoshua ben Chananiah, R. Yossi Hakohen, R. Shimon ben Nethanel, and R. Elazar ben Arach. He was wont to cite their (respective) distinctions: R. Eliezer ben Hurkanos — a lime-coated pit, that does not lose a drop. [So, he too does not lose one item of his learning]. R. Yehoshua — [He was so replete in good middoth that all said about him: "Happy is she who bore him!" (Others say: They said this because it was she who caused him to be a sage. She would make the rounds of all the houses of study in her city and say to them (the disciples): "Please, pray for this fetus in my stomach, that he be a sage!" And from the day that he was born, she did not remove his crib from the house of study, so that only words of Torah enter his ears.] R. Yossi — chasid, [acting above and beyond the letter of the law.] R. Shimon ben Nethanel — a fearer of sin, [stringent with himself and forbidding to himself permitted things out of fear that he might come to sin. For if not so, what is special about this? Even an ignoramus can be a fearer of sin.] R. Elazar ben Arach — a resurgent well, [of broad heart, "welling up" dialectic and conjecture of his own.] He (R. Yochanan ben Zakkai) was wont to say: If all the sages of Israel were in one balance of the scale and Eliezer ben Hurkanos in the other, he would outweigh them all. Abba Shaul says in his (R. Yochanan b. Zakkai's) name: If all the sages of Israel were in one balance of the scale and R. Eliezer ben Hurkanos also with them, and R. Elazar (ben Arach) in the other, he would outweigh them all. [I have found it written that Abba Shaul does not disagree with the first tanna and that both things were said by R. Yochanan ben Zakkai and both are true. In comprehensive knowledge and memory, R. Eliezer (ben Hurkanos) outweighed them all, and in sharpness and dialectic R. Elazar ben Arach outweighed them all.]

אָמַר לָהֶם, צְאוּ וּרְאוּ אֵיזוֹהִי דֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה שֶׁיִּדְבַּק בָּהּ הָאָדָם. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, עַיִן טוֹבָה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, חָבֵר טוֹב. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, שָׁכֵן טוֹב. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, הָרוֹאֶה אֶת הַנּוֹלָד. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, לֵב טוֹב. אָמַר לָהֶם, רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דִּבְרֵי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ מִדִּבְרֵיכֶם, שֶׁבִּכְלָל דְּבָרָיו דִּבְרֵיכֶם. אָמַר לָהֶם צְאוּ וּרְאוּ אֵיזוֹהִי דֶרֶךְ רָעָה שֶׁיִּתְרַחֵק מִמֶּנָּה הָאָדָם. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, עַיִן רָעָה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, חָבֵר רָע. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, שָׁכֵן רָע. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, הַלֹּוֶה וְאֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם. אֶחָד הַלֹּוֶה מִן הָאָדָם, כְּלֹוֶה מִן הַמָּקוֹם בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים לז) לֹוֶה רָשָׁע וְלֹא יְשַׁלֵּם, וְצַדִּיק חוֹנֵן וְנוֹתֵן. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, לֵב רָע. אָמַר לָהֶם, רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דִּבְרֵי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ מִדִּבְרֵיכֶם, שֶׁבִּכְלָל דְּבָרָיו דִּבְרֵיכֶם:

He (R. Yochanan ben Zakkai) said to them: Go out and see which is the just way to which a man should cleave. R. Eliezer says: A good eye, [being satisfied with what one has, not desiring superfluities, and not being envious when he sees that his friends have more than he.] R. Yehoshua says: A good friend, [who reproves him if he sees him doing something improper.] R. Yossi says: A good neighbor, [who is there for him both day and night (whereas a good friend is not there for him at all times.)] R. Shimon says: One who foresees what is to come, and, in consequence, weighs the loss of a mitzvah against its reward and the reward of a transgression against its loss (see 2:1)]. R. Elazar says: A good heart. [For the heart activates all of the other faculties and is the source of all deeds. And even though there are distinct limbs for (distinct) activities, it is the heart which is the "awakener" of all. Therefore,] R. Yochanan ben Zakkai said to them: I see the words of R. Elazar ben Arach [to be more cogent than yours], for your words are included in his. He said to them: Go and see which is the wicked way which a man should distance himself from. [He was constrained to ask this and did not understand from their words (above) that the wicked way is the opposite of the good way because the opposite of the good is not necessarily evil. For (for example), the trait of chasiduth (saintliness), doing what is above and beyond the letter of the law, is good; but one who is not a chasid and bases his conduct on the law of the Torah, is not wicked. And it may be said that though satisfaction (with what one has), "a good eye," is a good thing, a desire for superfluities is not "the wicked way," for he hurts no one thereby, and the same for all the middoth. He must, therefore, ask them: "Which is the wicked way which a man must distance himself from?"] R. Eliezer says: A wicked eye. R. Yehoshua says: A bad friend. R. Yossi says: A bad neighbor. R. Shimon says: One who borrows and does not repay. [This is the opposite of foreseeing what is to come. For if he does not repay, he will find no one to lend him and he will languish in hunger. He does not simply say: "One who does not foresee what is to come, for it is possible for such a man not to come to harm by rescuing himself when the contingency arrives)]. Borrowing from a man is like borrowing from the L rd, as it is written (Psalms 37:21): "The wicked one borrows and does not repay, and the Tzaddik is gracious and gives." [The Holy One Blessed be He, who is the tzaddik of the world, is gracious and gives to the lender what this one borrowed from him and did not repay — whence it emerges that the borrower remains indebted to the L rd.] R. Elazar says: A wicked heart. He said to them: I see the words of R. Elazar ben Arach [to be more cogent than yours], for your words are included in his.

הֵם אָמְרוּ שְׁלשָׁה שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, יְהִי כְבוֹד חֲבֵרְךָ חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁלָּךְ, וְאַל תְּהִי נוֹחַ לִכְעֹס. וְשׁוּב יוֹם אֶחָד לִפְנֵי מִיתָתְךָ. וֶהֱוֵי מִתְחַמֵּם כְּנֶגֶד אוּרָן שֶׁל חֲכָמִים, וֶהֱוֵי זָהִיר בְּגַחַלְתָּן שֶׁלֹּא תִכָּוֶה, שֶׁנְּשִׁיכָתָן נְשִׁיכַת שׁוּעָל, וַעֲקִיצָתָן עֲקִיצַת עַקְרָב, וּלְחִישָׁתָן לְחִישַׁת שָׂרָף, וְכָל דִּבְרֵיהֶם כְּגַחֲלֵי אֵשׁ:

They said three things [in derech eretz, in mussar, and in middoth (for in the areas of forbidden-permitted, exempt-liable, they said many things. Or, in these three areas, there was always a "pearl" in their mouths.)] R. Eliezer says: Let the honor of your friend be as dear to you as yours and do not be easily moved to anger. [i.e., when is this possible? When you are not easily moved to anger. (This is one thing; for if you are easily moved to anger, it is impossible not to cheapen your friend's honor.)] And repent one day before your death. [This is the second thing. For since one does not know when he will die, he will repent today lest he die tomorrow.] And warm yourself at the fire of the sages. [This is the third thing.], but be heedful of their coal [not to be lightheaded before them] that you not be burned [i.e., so that you not be punished through them]. For their bite is the bite of a fox, [which is very difficult to heal. For its teeth are small, crooked, and slanted, and the surgeon cuts the flesh with a scalpel to widen the bite], and their sting is the sting of a scorpion, [which is worse than the bite of a snake], and their speech is the hiss of a fiery serpent. [which burns when it hisses. Alternately: The fiery serpent is not to be charmed as other snakes are, as it is written (Psalms 58:6): "He does not heed the voice of the charmers." So, a Torah scholar. If you antagonize him and come to appease him, he is not (easily) appeased], and all of their words are like coals of fire.

רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, עַיִן הָרָע, וְיֵצֶר הָרָע, וְשִׂנְאַת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעוֹלָם:

R. Yehoshua says: An evil eye, [i.e., not being content with what one has and pursuing other things. Others read it: "the evil eye" — casting the evil eye at his friend's wealth or at his children and harming him], and the evil inclination, and [vain] hatred of men. [Rambam explains: spurning the company of men and loving to sit alone. I have heard (in interpretation): hating men and causing all men to hate him] take a man out of the world.

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, יְהִי מָמוֹן חֲבֵרְךָ חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁלָּךְ, וְהַתְקֵן עַצְמְךָ לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה, שֶׁאֵינָהּ יְרֻשָּׁה לָךְ. וְכָל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יִהְיוּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמָיִם:

R. Yossi says: Let your friend's wealth be as dear to you as yours. And prepare yourself to study Torah. [Do not say: Since my father is a sage and my grandfather is a sage, "Torah returns to its inn" and I need not pursue it], for it is not an inheritance to you. And let all of your deeds be for the sake of Heaven. [Even when you engage in eating, drinking, and marital relations, do not be motivated by bodily pleasure, but by a desire to be healthy to do the will of your Master.]

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי זָהִיר בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּבַתְּפִלָּה. וּכְשֶׁאַתָּה מִתְפַּלֵּל, אַל תַּעַשׂ תְּפִלָּתְךָ קֶבַע, אֶלָּא רַחֲמִים וְתַחֲנוּנִים לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יואל ב) כִּי חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם הוּא אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד וְנִחָם עַל הָרָעָה. וְאַל תְּהִי רָשָׁע בִּפְנֵי עַצְמְךָ:

R. Shimon says: Be heedful of the recitation of the shema [to recite it in its proper time] and of prayer [to recite each prayer in its proper time]. And when you pray, do not make your prayer a rote thing, [thinking to yourself: When can I free myself of this duty? Or: a fixed task, as one who sets himself the task of reciting a chapter or a section (each day), in which instance he makes it mere recitation and not supplication as (does) one who implores mercy], but one's prayer should be (the imploration of) mercy, and supplication before the L rd, as it is written (Yoel 2:13): "For He is a gracious and merciful G-d, withholding wrath and abundant in lovingkindness and repenting Himself of the evil." And do not be wicked to yourself [i.e., do not do something which today or tomorrow will cause you to incriminate yourself. Rambam explains: Do not regard yourself as wicked, for that causes you to become completely corrupt. And I have heard: Do not become wicked in this matter of separating from the congregation (2:4) and being by yourself.]

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי שָׁקוּד לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה, וְדַע מַה שֶּׁתָּשִׁיב לְאֶפִּיקוֹרוֹס. וְדַע לִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָמֵל. וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֶּם לָךְ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךְ:

R. Elazar says: Be diligent in learning Torah and know what to reply to an apikores, [from "hefker" (ownerless), one who shames the Torah and regards it as if it were hefker. Or: He makes himself hefker, not pitying his soul, not feeling that evil will come upon him for shaming the Torah or its learners.], and know before whom you toil, [in this reply that you make to the apikores that he not entice you to his beliefs] and your Employer is trusted to pay you for your labor.

רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, הַיּוֹם קָצָר וְהַמְּלָאכָה מְרֻבָּה, וְהַפּוֹעֲלִים עֲצֵלִים, וְהַשָּׂכָר הַרְבֵּה, וּבַעַל הַבַּיִת דּוֹחֵק:

R. Tarfon says: The day [i.e., life in this world] is short, and the labor is great [i.e., Torah study is endless], and the workers are indolent, and the wage is much, and the Employer presses [viz. (Joshua 1:8): "And you shall meditate in it (Torah) day and night."]

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה. אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, נוֹתְנִים לְךָ שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה. וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֵּם לְךָ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךָ. וְדַע מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא:

He (R. Tarfon) was wont to say: The work is not yours to complete. [The Holy One Blessed be He did not hire you to complete all of it, in which instance you would lose your wage if you did not complete it.] And [lest you say: (In that case,) I will not learn and I will not take a wage] — you are not free to abstain from it. [Perforce the yoke is upon you to labor.] If you learn much Torah, you are given much reward, and Your Employer is trusted to pay you for your labor. And know that the reward for the righteous is in the world to come.