Ethics of the Fathers

pirkei avot - perek ד

פרקי אבות – פרק ד

Israeli: ' marks a reduced vowel that Israeli speech drops (b'rachah); when the vowel is pronounced it is written e (lefanecha). - separates syllables that would otherwise run together.

How to read the transliterations

Prov. 3

Hebrew

רַבִּי נְהוֹרַאי אוֹמֵר: הֱוֵי גוֹלֶה לִמְקוֹם תּוֹרָה. וְאַל תֹּאמַר שֶׁהִיא תָבוֹא אַחֲרֶיךָ,
שֶׁחֲבֵרֶיךָ יְקַיְּמוּהָ בְיָדֶךָ. וְאֶל־בִּינָתְךָ אַל־תִּשָּׁעֵן:

Israeli

rabi nehorai omer: hevei goleh limkom Torah. ve-al tomar shehi tavo acharecha,
shechaverecha yekaymuha v'yadecha. ve-el-binatcha al-tisha-en:

Hebrew

רַבִּי יַנַּאי אוֹמֵר: אֵין בְּיָדֵינוּ לֹא מִשַּׁלְוַת הָרְשָׁעִים וְאַף לֹא מִיִּסּוּרֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים.

Israeli

rabi yanai omer: ein b'yadeinu lo mishalvat haresha-im ve-af lo miyisurei hatzadikim.

Hebrew

רַבִּי מַתְיָא בֶן חָרָשׁ אוֹמֵר: הֱוֵי מַקְדִּים בִּשְׁלוֹם כָּל אָדָם, וֶהֱוֵי זָנָב לָאֲרָיוֹת,
וְאַל תְּהִי רֹאשׁ לַשּׁוּעָלִים.

Israeli

rabi matya ven charash omer: hevei makdim bishlom kol Adam, vehevei zanav la-arayot,
ve-al tehi rosh lashu-alim.

Hebrew

רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה דּוֹמֶה לִפְרוֹזְדוֹר בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. הַתְקֵן
עַצְמְךָ בַּפְּרוֹזְדוֹר, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּכָּנֵס לַטְּרַקְלִין.

Israeli

rabi Ya-akov omer: ha-olam hazeh domeh lifrozdor bifnei ha-olam haba. hatken
atzmecha baprozdor, k'dei shetikanes latraklin.

Hebrew

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: יָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת בִּתְשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה,
מִכָּל חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וְיָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת שֶׁל קוֹרַת רוּחַ בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, מִכָּל
חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה.

Israeli

hu hayah omer: yafah sha-ah achat bitshuvah uma-asim tovim ba-olam hazeh,
mikol chayei ha-olam haba. veyafah sha-ah achat shel korat ruach ba-olam haba, mikol
chayei ha-olam hazeh.

Hebrew

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: אַל תְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרְךָ בִּשְׁעַת כַּעֲסוֹ, וְאַל
תְּנַחֲמֵהוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמֵּתוֹ מֻטָּל לְפָנָיו, וְאַל תִּשְׁאַל לוֹ בִּשְׁעַת נִדְרוֹ, וְאַל
תִּשְׁתַּדֵּל לִרְאוֹתוֹ בִּשְׁעַת קַלְקָלָתוֹ.

Israeli

rabi Shimon ben Elazar omer: al t'ratzeh et chaverecha bishat ka-aso, ve-al
t'nachamehu b'sha-ah shemeto mutal lefanav, ve-al tishal lo bishat nidro, ve-al
tishtadel liroto bishat kalkalato.

Prov. 24

Hebrew

שְׁמוּאֵל הַקָּטָן אוֹמֵר: בִּנְפֹל אוֹיִבְךָ אַל־תִּשְׂמָח, וּבִכָּשְׁלוֹ אַל־יָגֵל לִבֶּךָ: פֶּן־
יִרְאֶה יְהֹוָה וְרַע בְּעֵינָיו, וְהֵשִׁיב מֵעָלָיו אַפּוֹ:

Israeli

sh'mu-el hakatan omer: binfol oyivcha al-tismach, uvikashlo al-yagel libecha: pen-
yireh Adonai vera be-einav, veheshiv me-alav apo:

Hebrew

אֱלִישָׁע בֶּן אֲבוּיָה אוֹמֵר: הַלּוֹמֵד יֶלֶד, לְמָה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לִדְיוֹ כְּתוּבָה עַל נְיָר
חָדָשׁ. וְהַלּוֹמֵד זָקֵן, לְמָה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לִדְיוֹ כְּתוּבָה עַל נְיָר מָחוּק.

Israeli

Elisha ben avuyah omer: halomed yeled, lemah hu domeh, lidyo k'tuvah al neyar
chadash. vehalomed zaken, lemah hu domeh, lidyo k'tuvah al neyar machuk.

Hebrew

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַר יְהוּדָה אִישׁ כְּפַר הַבַּבְלִי אוֹמֵר: הַלּוֹמֵד מִן הַקְּטַנִּים, לְמָה הוּא

Israeli

rabi Yosei var Yehudah ish k'far habavli omer: halomed min haktanim, lemah hu

Commentary

4:19. It is not in our power to explain: Seen from beneath, a Turkish carpet looks like a meaningless tangle of threads. Only when we view it from the other side do we see its intricately designed pattern. So it is with the justice of events. On earth, we seem to see the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper. Only from the other side – Heaven – is it possible to see the logic, the pattern; but that is a vantage point we cannot attain in this life.

4:20. Be a tail to lions: The great seek the company of those greater than themselves.

4:23. Do not try to placate: There is a time and a place for everything, especially speech. The right word at the wrong time makes matters worse.

… worship; and Torah is the crown of Jewish study and education. The sages were critical of the Hasmonean kings, some of whom appointed themselves as High Priests, thus breaching the separation of the crowns of kingship and priesthood. The crown of a good name: an alternative translation is, “But the crown of a good name must accompany them all.” Unlike the other crowns, which exist in virtue of office or accomplishment, a good name is won by the individual him- or herself, regardless of office or accomplishment, by the integrity and grace with which he or she relates to others.

4:18. Exile yourself to a place of Torah: Be prepared to travel to a center of Torah study where there are outstanding teachers and scholars. Torah is learned not only from books but also, and essentially, from people, their conduct, and the fellowship of argument.