R. Meir dit: Diminuez (votre) occupation [avec les affaires ou le travail] et occupez-vous [principalement] avec la Torah. Et soyez d'humilité humble devant tous les hommes, [pour apprendre même de ceux qui sont inférieurs à vous en sagesse.] Et si vous restiez oisif [dans l'étude de la Torah], il y a beaucoup de paresseux à côté de vous [pour vous aider à le faire. Ou: Il y a beaucoup de paresseux dans le monde, les méchantes et les bêtes sauvages, par lesquelles le Saint Béni soit-Il peut vous punir.] Et si vous avez travaillé dur dans la Torah, Il a beaucoup de récompense à vous donner. [Lui-même vous récompensera, et non pas un messager, son attribut de bien étant plus grand que celui de sa punition.]
Shaarei Teshuvah
And the penitent is also obligated to be submissive and to fulfill and follow the path about which our Rabbis, may there memory be blessed, said (Avot 4:10), "Be of humble spirit before all men." And from this, he will acquire that he will not get angry at - or be exacting with - his fellows; and he will also not pay attention to everything that he hears and will forego his reckonings. And from this, all of his sins will be [forewent to be] atoned, as our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Rosh Hashanah 17a), "Whoever forgoes his reckonings [with others, the heavenly court, in turn,] forgoes all his sins" - measure for measure. And this is a very glorious opening for hope. And it is stated (Lamentations 3:29-30), "Let him put his mouth to the dust - there may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to the smiter; let him be surfeited with mockery."
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Mesilat Yesharim
Considering this, our sages, peace be unto them, said: "minimize your worldly occupations and toil in the Torah" (Avot 4:10).
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Mesilat Yesharim
The matter of "Zeal" is clear. It is the early engaging in mitzvot and their completion as the sages of blessed memory said: "the zealous are early to perform the mitzvot" (Pesachim 4a).
