Ethics of the Fathers

Pirkei Avot - Perek 5

פרקי אבות – פרק ה

Visible layers

Hebrew

אוֹמְרִים, זוֹ מִדַּת סְדוֹם. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלָּךְ וְשֶׁלָּךְ שֶׁלִּי, עַם הָאָרֶץ. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלָּךְ וְשֶׁלָּךְ
שֶׁלָּךְ, חָסִיד. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלָּךְ שֶׁלִּי, רָשָׁע.

Sephardi

Omrim, zo midat Sedom. Sheli shelach veshelach sheli, am ha'aretz. Sheli shelach veshelach
shelach, chasid. Sheli sheli veshelach sheli, rasha.

English

is yours is yours,” is pious. (4) One who says, “What is yours is mine and what is mine is mine,” is wicked.

Hebrew

אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בַּדֵּעוֹת. נוֹחַ לִכְעוֹס וְנוֹחַ לִרְצוֹת, יָצָא הֶפְסֵדוֹ בִּשְׂכָרוֹ. קָשֶׁה
לִכְעוֹס וְקָשֶׁה לִרְצוֹת, יָצָא שְׂכָרוֹ בְהֶפְסֵדוֹ. קָשֶׁה לִכְעוֹס וְנוֹחַ לִרְצוֹת, חָסִיד.
נוֹחַ לִכְעוֹס וְקָשֶׁה לִרְצוֹת, רָשָׁע.

Sephardi

Arba midot bade'ot. No'ach lich'os veno'ach lirtzot, yatza hefseido bisecharo. Kashe
lich'os vekashe lirtzot, yatza secharo behefseido. Kashe lich'os veno'ach lirtzot, chasid.
No'ach lich'os vekashe lirtzot, rasha.

English

There are four types of temperament: (1) One who is easily angered and easily pacified – his loss is canceled by his gain. (2) One who is hard to anger and hard to pacify – his gain is canceled by his loss. (3) One who is hard to anger and easily pacified is pious. (4) One who is easily angered and hard to pacify is wicked.

Hebrew

אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בַּתַּלְמִידִים. מָהִיר לִשְׁמוֹעַ וּמַהֵר לְאַבֵּד, יָצָא שְׂכָרוֹ בְהֶפְסֵדוֹ.
קָשֶׁה לִשְׁמוֹעַ וְקָשֶׁה לְאַבֵּד, יָצָא הֶפְסֵדוֹ בִשְׂכָרוֹ. מָהִיר לִשְׁמוֹעַ וְקָשֶׁה לְאַבֵּד,
זֶה חֵלֶק טוֹב. קָשֶׁה לִשְׁמוֹעַ וּמַהֵר לְאַבֵּד, זֶה חֵלֶק רָע.

Sephardi

Arba midot batalmidim. Mahir lishmoa umaher le'abed, yatza secharo behefseido.
Kashe lishmoa vekashe le'abed, yatza hefseido bisecharo. Mahir lishmoa vekashe le'abed,
zeh chelek tov. Kashe lishmoa umaher le'abed, zeh chelek ra.

English

There are four types of student: (1) One who learns quickly and forgets quickly – his gain is canceled by his loss. (2) One who learns slowly and forgets slowly – his loss is canceled by his gain. (3) One who learns quickly and forgets slowly – his is a happy lot. (4) One who learns slowly and forgets quickly – his is a sad lot.

Hebrew

אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בְּנוֹתְנֵי צְדָקָה. הָרוֹצֶה שֶׁיִּתֵּן וְלֹא יִתְּנוּ אֲחֵרִים, עֵינוֹ רָעָה בְּשֶׁל
אֲחֵרִים. יִתְּנוּ אֲחֵרִים וְהוּא לֹא יִתֵּן, עֵינוֹ רָעָה בְּשֶׁלּוֹ. יִתֵּן וְיִתְּנוּ אֲחֵרִים,
חָסִיד. לֹא יִתֵּן וְלֹא יִתְּנוּ אֲחֵרִים, רָשָׁע.

Sephardi

Arba midot benotnei tzedakah. Harotze sheyiten velo yitnu acherim, eino ra'ah beshel
acherim. Yitnu acherim vehu lo yiten, eino ra'ah beshelo. Yiten veyitnu acherim,
chasid. Lo yiten velo yitnu acherim, rasha.

English

There are four types of donor to charity: (1) One who wishes to give but does not want others to give, begrudges others. (2) One who wants others to give, but does not himself give, begrudges himself. (3) One who gives and wants others to give is pious. (4) One who does not himself give and does not want others to give is wicked.

Hebrew

אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בְּהוֹלְכֵי בֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ. הוֹלֵךְ וְאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה, שְׂכַר הֲלִיכָה בְיָדוֹ.
עוֹשֶׂה וְאֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ, שְׂכַר מַעֲשֶׂה בְיָדוֹ. הוֹלֵךְ וְעוֹשֶׂה, חָסִיד. לֹא הוֹלֵךְ וְלֹא
עוֹשֶׂה, רָשָׁע.

Sephardi

Arba midot beholchei beit hamidrash. Holech ve'eino oseh, sechar halichah beyado.
Oseh ve'eino holech, sechar ma'aseh beyado. Holech ve'oseh, chasid. Lo holech velo
oseh, rasha.

English

There are four types among those who attend the House of Study: (1) One who goes but does not practice [what he learns] receives a reward for going. (2) One who practices but does not go receives a reward for practicing. (3) One who goes and also practices is pious. (4) One who neither goes nor practices is wicked.

Hebrew

אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בְּיוֹשְׁבִים לִפְנֵי חֲכָמִים, סְפוֹג, וּמַשְׁפֵּךְ, מְשַׁמֶּרֶת, וְנָפָה. סְפוֹג,
שֶׁהוּא סוֹפֵג אֶת הַכֹּל. וּמַשְׁפֵּךְ, שֶׁמַּכְנִיס בָּזוֹ וּמוֹצִיא בָזוֹ. מְשַׁמֶּרֶת, שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָה
אֶת הַיַּיִן וְקוֹלֶטֶת אֶת הַשְּׁמָרִים. וְנָפָה, שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָה אֶת הַקֶּמַח וְקוֹלֶטֶת אֶת
הַסֹּלֶת.

Sephardi

Arba midot beyoshvim lifnei chachamim, sefog, umashpech, meshameret, venafah. Sefog,
shehu sofeig et hakol. Umashpech, shemachnis bazo umotzi vazo. Meshameret, shemotzi'ah
et hayayin vekoletet et hashemarim. Venafah, shemotzi'ah et hakemach vekoletet et
hasolet.

English

There are four types among those who sit before the sages: the sponge, the funnel, the strainer and the sieve. The sponge absorbs everything. The funnel takes in at one end and lets out at the other. The strainer lets out the wine and retains the sediment. The sieve allows the flour dust to pass through and retains the fine flour.

Hebrew

כָּל אַהֲבָה שֶׁהִיא תְלוּיָה בְדָבָר, בָּטֵל דָּבָר, בְּטֵלָה אַהֲבָה. וְשֶׁאֵינָה תְלוּיָה
בְדָבָר, אֵינָה בְּטֵלָה לְעוֹלָם. אֵיזוֹ הִיא אַהֲבָה שֶׁהִיא תְלוּיָה בְדָבָר, זוֹ אַהֲבַת
אַמְנוֹן וְתָמָר. וְשֶׁאֵינָה תְלוּיָה בְדָבָר, זוֹ אַהֲבַת דָּוִד וִיהוֹנָתָן.

Sephardi

Kol ahavah shehi teluyah bedavar, batel davar, betelah ahavah. Veshe'einah teluyah
bedavar, einah betelah le'olam. Eizo hi ahavah shehi teluyah bedavar, zo ahavat
Amnon veTamar. Veshe'einah teluyah bedavar, zo ahavat David viYehonatan.

English

If love depends on a specific cause, when the cause ends, so does the love. If love does not depend on a specific cause, then it never ends. What is an example of love depending on a specific cause? The love of Amnon for Tamar. What is an example of love not dependent on a specific cause? The love of David and Jonathan.

Hebrew

כָּל מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם. וְשֶׁאֵינָה לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, אֵין
סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם. אֵיזוֹ הִיא מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת הִלֵּל
וְשַׁמַּאי. וְשֶׁאֵינָה לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת קֹרַח וְכָל עֲדָתוֹ.

Sephardi

Kol machloket shehi leshem shamayim, sofah lehitkayem. Veshe'einah leshem shamayim, ein
sofah lehitkayem. Eizo hi machloket shehi leshem shamayim, zo machloket Hillel
veShammai. Veshe'einah leshem shamayim, zo machloket Korach vechol adato.

English

Any dispute for the sake of heaven will have enduring value, but any dispute not for the sake of heaven will not have enduring value. What is an example of a dispute for the sake of heaven? The dispute between Hillel and Shammai. What is an example of one not for the sake of heaven? The dispute of Korah and all his company.