Book: Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and

V >> Various >> Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and




The birds of the air despise a miser.

Hospitality is an expression of Divine worship.

Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend's friend has a friend; be
discreet.

Do not place a blemish on thine own flesh.

Attend no auctions if thou hast no money.

Rather skin a carcass for pay, in the public streets, than lie idly
dependent on charity.

Deal with those who are fortunate.

What is intended for thy neighbor will never be thine.

The weakness of thy walls invites the burglar.

The place honors not the man, 'tis the man who gives honor to the place.

The humblest man is ruler in his own house.

If the fox is king bow before him.

If a word spoken in its time is worth one piece of money, silence in its
time is worth two.

Tobias committed the sins and his neighbor received the punishment.

Poverty sits as gracefully upon some people as a red saddle upon a white
horse.

Drain not the waters of thy well while other people may desire them.

The doctor who prescribes gratuitously gives a worthless prescription.

The rose grows among thorns.

The wine belongs to the master but the waiter receives the thanks.

He who mixes with unclean things becomes unclean himself; he whose
associations are pure becomes more holy with each day.

No man is impatient with his creditors.

Make but one sale, and thou art called a merchant.

Mention not a blemish which is thy own, in detraction of thy neighbor.

If certain goods sell not in one city, try another place.

He who reads the letter should execute the message.

A vessel used for holy purposes should not be put to uses less sacred.

Ornament thyself first, then magnify others.

Two pieces of coin in one bag make more noise than a hundred.

Man sees the mote in his neighbor's eye, but knows not of the beam in
his own.

The rivalry of scholars advances science.

If thou tellest thy secret to three persons, ten know of it.

When love is intense both find room enough upon one board of the bench;
afterward they may find themselves cramped in a space of sixty cubits.

When wine enters the head the secret flies out.

When a liar speaks the truth he finds his punishment in the general
disbelief.

Sorrow for those who disappear never to be found.

The officer of the king is also a recipient of honors.

He who studies cannot follow a commercial life; neither can the merchant
devote his time to study.

There is no occasion to light thy lamp at noontide.

If thy friends agree in calling thee an ass, go and get a halter around
thee.

At the gate of abundance there are many brothers and friends; at the
gate of misery there is neither brother not friend.

The consciousness of God's presence is the first principle of religion.

A man's home means his wife.

He who divorces his wife is hated before God.

If thy wife is small, bend down to take her counsel.

The daughter is as the mother was.

Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in
another time.

What the child says out of doors he has learned indoors.

This world is an ante-chamber to the next.

The just of all nations have a portion in the future reward.

Every nation has its special guardian angel, its horoscopes, its ruling
planets and stars. But there is no planet for Israel. Israel shall look
but to God. There is no mediator between those who are called His
children and their Father which is in heaven.

From the very spoon that the carver carved, he has to swallow hot
mustard.

The laborer is allowed to shorten his prayers.

He who teaches his son to trade is as if he taught him to steal.

The laborer at his work need not rise before the greatest doctor.

Life is a passing shadow, says the Scripture. Is it the shadow of a
tower or a tree? A shadow which prevails for a while? No. It is the
shadow of a bird in its flight--away flies the bird, and there is
neither bird nor shadow.

Man's passions at first are like a cobweb's thread, at last become like
the thickest cable.

Were it not for the existence of passions no one would build a house,
marry a wife, beget children, or do any work.

There is not a single bird more persecuted than the dove, yet God has
chosen her to be offered upon the altar. The bull is hunted by the lion,
the sheep by the wolf, the goat by the tiger. And God said: "Bring me a
sacrifice, not from those that persecute, but from them that are
persecuted."

Prayer is Israel's only weapon, a weapon inherited from his fathers, a
weapon tried in a thousand battles.

When the righteous die, they live; for their example lives.

Let the fruit pray for the welfare of the leaf.

Meat without salt is fit only for the dogs.

Trust not thyself until the day of thy death.

Woe to the country which hath lost its leader; woe to the ship when its
captain is no more.

He who increaseth his flesh but multiplieth food for the worms.

The day is short, the labor great, and the workman slothful.

Be yielding to thy superior; be affable toward the young; be friendly
with all mankind.

Silence is the fence round wisdom.

Without law, civilization perishes.

Every man will surely have his hour.

Rather be the tail among lions than the head among foxes.

Into the well which supplies thee with water cast no stones.

Many a colt's skin is fashioned to the saddle which its mother bears.

Truth is heavy, therefore few care to carry it.

Say little and do much.

He who multiplieth words will likely come to sin.

Sacrifice thy will for others, that they may be disposed to sacrifice
their wills for thee.

Study to-day, delay not.

Look not upon thy prayers as on a task; let thy supplications be
sincere.

He who is loved by man is loved by God.

Honor the sons of the poor; they give to science its splendor.

Do not live near a pious fool.

A small coin in a large jar makes a great noise.

Use thy noble vase to-day; to-morrow it may break.

The cat and the rat make peace over a carcass.

He who walks each day over his estate finds a coin daily.

The dog follows thee for the crumbs in thy pocket.

The soldiers fight, and the kings are heroes.

When the ox is down many are the butchers.

Descend a step in choosing thy wife; ascend a step in choosing thy
friend.

Beat the gods and their priests will tremble.

The sun will set without thy assistance.

Hold no man responsible for his utterances in times of grief.

One man eats, another says grace.

He who curbs his wrath merits forgiveness for his sins.

Commit a sin twice and it will not seem to thee a crime.

While our love was strong we lay on the edge of a sword, now a couch
sixty yards wide is too narrow for us.

Study is more meritorious than sacrifice.

Jerusalem was destroyed because the instruction of the young was
neglected.

The world is saved by the breath of school children. Even to rebuild the
Temple, the schools must not be closed.

Blessed is the son who has studied with his father, and blessed the
father who has instructed his son.

Avoid wrath and thou wilt avoid sin; avoid intemperance and thou wilt
not provoke Providence.

When others gather, do thou disperse; when others disperse, gather.

When thou art the only purchaser, then buy; when other buyers are
present, be thou nobody.

The foolish man knows not an insult, neither does a dead man feel the
cutting of a knife.

Three shall not enter Paradise--the scoffer, the hypocrite, and the
slanderer.

Rabbi Gamaliel ordered his servant Tobi to bring something good from the
market, and he brought a tongue. At another time he told him to bring
something bad, and he also returned with a tongue. "Why did you on both
occasions fetch a tongue?" the Rabbi asked. "It is the source of good
and evil," Tobi replied. "If it is good, there is nothing better; if it
is bad, there is nothing worse."

The forest trees once asked the fruit trees: "Why is the rustling of
your leaves not heard in the distance?" The fruit trees replied: "We can
dispense with the rustling to manifest our presence; our fruits testify
for us." The fruit trees then inquired of the forest trees; "Why do your
leaves rustle almost continually?" "We are forced to call the attention
of man to our existence."

Too many Captains sink the ship.

An old man is a trouble in the house; an old woman is a treasure in the
house.

Two pieces of coin in one bag make more noise than a hundred.

When the flood came over the earth and everything was threatened with
destruction, and every kind of beast came in pairs to Noah, the Lie,
too, asked admittance into the ark. Noah, however, refused. "Only pairs
may enter here," he said. The Lie went in search of a companion, and at
last met Vice, whom it invited to go to the ark. "I am willing to keep
company with thee, if thou wilt promise to give me all thy earnings,"
said Vice. The Lie agreed, and they were both admitted into the ark.
After they left the ark, the Lie regretted her agreement, and wished to
dissolve partnership with Vice, but it was too late, and thus it is
current that "what Lie earneth, Vice consumeth."

Support the aged without reference to religion; respect the learned
without reference to age.

Repent the day before thy death.

Ten measures of wisdom came into the world; the law of Israel received
nine measures, and the balance of the world one. Ten measures of beauty
came into the world; Jerusalem received nine measures, and the rest of
the world one.

The world stands on three pillars: law, worship, and charity.

When he who attends the synagogue regularly is prevented from being
present, God asks for him.

His enemies will humble themselves before the one who builds a place of
worship.

He who is able to attend synagogue, and neglects to do so, is a bad
neighbor.

One need not stand upon a high place to pray, for it is written, "Out of
the depths have I called unto Thee, oh Lord." The same Rabbi prohibits
moving about or talking during the progress of prayers, enlarging on
Solomon's advice, "Keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of the
Lord, and be more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools."

The cock and the owl both await daylight. "The light," says the cock,
"brings me delight; but what in the world art thou waiting for?"

The thief who finds no opportunity to steal, considers himself an honest
man.

A Galilean said, "When the shepherd is angry with his flock, he appoints
for its leader a blind bellwether."

Though it is not incumbent upon thee to complete the work, thou must not
therefore cease from pursuing it. If the work is great, great will be
thy reward, and thy Master is faithful in His payments.

There are three crowns: of the law, the priesthood, and the kingship;
but the crown of a good name is greater than them all.

Who gains wisdom? He who is willing to receive instruction from all
sources. Who is the mighty man? He who subdueth his temper. Who is rich?
He who is content with his lot. Who is deserving of honor? He who
honoreth mankind.

Despise no man and deem nothing impossible; every man hath his hour and
everything its place.

Iron breaks stone; fire melts iron; water extinguishes fire; the clouds
consume water; the storm dispels clouds; man withstands the storm; fear
conquers man; wine banishes fear; sleep overcomes wine, and death is the
master of sleep; but "charity," says Solomon, "saves even from death."

How canst thou escape sin? Think of three things: whence thou comest,
whither thou goest, and before whom thou must appear. The scoffer, the
liar, the hypocrite, and the slanderer can have no share in the future
world of bliss. To slander is to commit murder.

Cold water morning and evening is better than all the cosmetics.

The question is asked, "Why is man born with hands clinched, but has his
hands wide open in death?" And the answer is: "On entering the world,
man desires to grasp everything; but when leaving it he takes nothing
away."

Two dry logs and one wet; the dry ones kindle the wet.

He who seeks for a faultless brother will have to remain brotherless.

A town which has no school should be abolished.

Jerusalem was destroyed because the instruction of the young was
neglected.

He who instructs a child is as if he had created it.

The teachers are the guardians of the State.

Learn first and philosophize afterward.

To what may he be compared who teaches a child? To one who writes on
clean paper; and to what may he be compared who teaches an old man? To
one who writes on blotted paper.

Be eager to acquire knowledge; it does not come to thee by inheritance.

Four dispositions are found among those who sit for instruction, before
the wise, and they may be respectively compared to a sponge, a funnel, a
strainer, and a sieve; the sponge imbibes all, the funnel receives at
one end and discharges at the other, the strainer suffers the wine to
pass through, but retains the lees, and the sieve recovers the bran, but
retains the fine flour.

To pray loudly is not a necessity of devotion; when we pray we must
direct our hearts toward heaven.

Charity is greater than all.

Who gives charity in secret is greater than Moses.

He finds authority for this saying in the words of Moses, "For I was
afraid of the anger," and the words of Solomon which he presents as an
answer, "A gift given in secret pacifieth anger."

A miser is as wicked as an idolater.

Charity is more than sacrifices.

"He who gives (charity) becomes rich," or as it is written, "A
beneficent soul will be abundantly gratified."

One day a philosopher inquired of Rabbi Akiba, "If your God loves the
poor, why does He not support them?"

"God allows the poor to be with us ever," responded Akiba, "that the
opportunities for doing good may never fail."

"But," returned the philosopher, "how do you know that this virtue of
charity pleases God? If a master punishes his slaves by depriving them
of food and clothing, does he feel pleased when others feed and clothe
them?"

"But suppose, on the other hand," said the Rabbi, "that the children of
a tender father, children whom he could no longer justly assist, had
fallen into poverty, would he be displeased if kind souls pitied and
aided them? We are not the slaves of a hard master. God calls us His
children, and Himself we call our Father."

When one stands at the judgment-seat of God these questions are asked:--

"Hast thou been honest in all thy dealings?"

"Hast thou set aside a portion of thy time for the study of the law?"

"Hast thou observed the first commandment?"

"Hast thou, in trouble, still hoped and believed in God?"

"Hast thou spoken wisely?"

All the blessings of a household come through the wife, therefore should
her husband honor her.

Men should be careful lest they cause women to weep, for God counts
their tears.

In cases of charity, where both men and women claim relief, the latter
should be first assisted. If there should not be enough for both, the
men should cheerfully relinquish their claims.

A woman's death is felt by nobody as by her husband.

Tears are shed on God's altar for the one who forsakes his first love.

He who loves his wife as himself, and honors her more than himself, will
train his children properly; he will meet, too, the fulfillment of the
verse, "And thou shalt know that there is peace in thy tent, and thou
wilt look over thy habitation and shall miss nothing."

I never call my wife "wife," but "home," for she, indeed, makes my home.

He who possesses a knowledge of God, and a knowledge of man, will not
easily commit sin.

The Bible was given us to establish peace.

He who wrongs his fellow-man, even in so small a coin as a penny, is as
wicked as if he should take life.

He who raises his hand against his fellow in passion is a sinner.

Be not the friend of one who wears the cloak of a saint to cover the
deformities of a fool.

One who gives way to passion is as bad as an idolater.

Hospitality is as great a virtue as studying the law.

"Never put thyself in the way of temptation," advised Rabbi Judah; "even
David could not resist it."

Rabbi Tyra, on being asked by his pupils to tell them the secret which
gained him a happy, peaceful old age, replied, "I have never cherished
anger with my family; I have never envied those greater than myself, and
I have never rejoiced in the downfall of any one."

Unhappy is he who mistakes the branch for the tree, the shadow for the
substance.

Thy yesterday is thy past; thy to-day thy future; thy to-morrow is a
secret.

The best preacher is the heart; the best teacher is time; the best book
is the world; the best friend is God.

Life is but a loan to man; death is the creditor who will one day claim
it.

Understand a man by his own deeds and words. The impressions of others
lead to false judgment.

He through whose agency another has been falsely punished stands outside
of heaven's gates.

The sins of the bad-tempered are greater than his merits.

The man who sins is foolish as well as wicked.

The good actions which we perform in this world take form and meet us in
the world to come.

Better to bear a false accusation in silence, than by speaking to bring
the guilty to public shame.

He who can feel ashamed will not readily do wrong.

There is a great difference between one who can feel ashamed before his
own soul and one who is only ashamed before his fellow-man.

God's covenant with us included work; for the command, "Six days shalt
thou work and the seventh shalt thou rest," made the "rest" conditional
upon the "work."

God first told Adam to dress the Garden of Eden, and to keep it, and
then permitted him to eat of the fruit of his labor.

God did not dwell in the midst of Israel till they had worked to deserve
His presence, for he commanded, "They shall make me a sanctuary, and
then I will dwell in the midst of them."

When Jerusalem was in the hands of the Romans, one of their philosophers
asked of the Rabbis:--

"If your God dislikes idolatry, why does He not destroy the idols and so
put temptation out of the way?"

The wise men answered:--

"Would you have the sun and the moon destroyed because of the foolish
ones who worship them? To change the course of nature to punish sinners,
would bring suffering to the innocent also."

Rabbi Judah said:--

"He who refuses to teach a precept to his pupil is guilty of theft, just
as one who steals from the inheritance of his father; as it is written,
(The law which Moses commanded us is the inheritance of the congregation
of Jacob.) But if he teaches him, what is his reward?"

Raba says, "He will obtain the blessing of Joseph."

Rabbi Eleazer said:--

"That house where the law is not studied by night should be destroyed.

"The wealthy man who aids not the scholar desirous of studying God's law
will not prosper.

"He who changes his word, saying one thing and doing another, is even as
he who serveth idols."

Rabbi Chamah, the son of Pappa, said:--

"He who eats or drinks and blesses not the Lord, is even as he who
stealeth, for it is said, 'The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, and
the earth hath He given to the children of men.'"

Rabbi Simon, the son of Lakish, said:--

"They who perform one precept in this world will find it recorded for
their benefit in the world to come; as it is written, 'Thy righteousness
will go before thee, the glory of the Lord will gather thee in.' And the
same will be the case, in contrast, with those who sin. For the Bible
says, 'Which I commanded thee this day to do them,' to 'do them,' the
precepts, to-day, though the reward is not promised to-day; but in the
future, ordinances obeyed, will testify in thy favor, for 'thy
righteousness will go before thee.'"

The Rabbis pronounced those the "friends of God," who being offended
thought not of revenge; who practiced good through love for God, and who
were cheerful under suffering and difficulties. Of such Isaiah wrote,
"They shall shine forth like the sun at noonday."

* * * * *

Love thy wife as thyself; honor her more than thyself. He who lives
unmarried, lives without joy. If thy wife is small, bend down to her and
whisper in her ear. He who sees his wife die, has, as it were, been
present at the destruction of the sanctuary itself. The children of a
man who marries for money will prove a curse to him.

He who has more learning than good deeds is like a tree with many
branches but weak roots; the first great storm will throw it to the
ground. He whose good works are greater than his knowledge is like a
tree with fewer branches but with strong and spreading roots, a tree
which all the winds of heaven cannot uproot.

* * * * *

Better is the curse of the righteous man than the blessing of the
wicked. Better the curse of Achia, the Shelonite, than the blessing of
Bil'am, the son of Beor. Thus did Achia curse the Israelites, "And the
Lord will smite Israel as the reed is shaken in the water." The reed
bends but it breaks not, for it groweth by the water, and its roots are
strong. Thus did Bil'am bless Israel, "As cedar trees beside the
waters." Cedars do not grow beside the waters: their roots are weak, and
when strong winds blow they break in pieces.

* * * * *

A very wealthy man, who was of a kind, benevolent disposition, desired
to make his slave happy. He gave him, therefore, his freedom, and
presented him with a shipload of merchandise.

"Go," said he, "sail to different countries, dispose of these goods, and
that which thou mayest receive for them shall be thy own."

The slave sailed away upon the broad ocean, but before he had been long
upon his voyage a storm overtook him; his ship was driven on a rock and
went to pieces; all on board were lost, all save this slave, who swam to
an island shore near by. Sad, despondent, with naught in the world, he
traversed this island, until he approached a large and beautiful city;
and many people approached him joyously, shouting, "Welcome! welcome!
Long live the king!" They brought a rich carriage, and placing him
therein, escorted him to a magnificent palace, where many servants
gathered about him, clothing him in royal garments, addressing him as
their sovereign, and expressing their obedience to his will.

The slave was amazed and dazzled, believing that he was dreaming, and
all that he saw, heard, and experienced was mere passing fantasy.
Becoming convinced of the reality of his condition, he said to some men
about him for whom he experienced a friendly feeling:--

"How is this? I cannot understand it. That you should thus elevate and
honor a man whom you know not, a poor, naked wanderer, whom you have
never seen before, making him your ruler, causes me more wonder than I
can readily express."

"Sire," they replied, "this island is inhabited by spirits. Long since
they prayed to God to send them yearly a son of man to reign over them,
and He has answered their prayers. Yearly He sends them a son of man,
whom they receive with honor and elevate to the throne; but his dignity
and power ends with the year. With its close his royal garments are
taken from him, he is placed on board a ship and carried to a vast and
desolate island, where, unless he has previously been wise and prepared
for this day, he will find neither friend nor subject, and be obliged to
pass a weary, lonely, miserable life. Then a new king is selected, and
so year follows year. The kings who preceded thee were careless and
indifferent, enjoying their power to the full, and thinking not of the
day when it should end. Be wiser thou; let our words find rest within
thy heart."

The newly-made king listened attentively to all this, and felt grieved
that he should have lost even the time he had already missed for making
preparations for his loss of power.

He addressed the wise man who had spoken, saying, "Advise me, oh, spirit
of wisdom, how I may prepare for the days which will come upon me in the
future."

"Naked thou camest to us and naked thou wilt be sent to the desolate
island of which I have told thee," replied the other. "At present thou
art king, and may do as pleaseth thee; therefore send workmen to this
island; let them build houses, till the ground, and beautify the
surroundings. The barren soil will be changed into fruitful fields,
people will journey there to live, and thou wilt have established a new
kingdom for thyself, with subjects to welcome thee in gladness when thou
shalt have lost thy power here. The year is short, the work is long:
therefore be earnest and energetic."

The king followed this advice. He sent workmen and materials to the
desolate island, and before the close of his temporary power it had
become a blooming, pleasant, and attractive spot. The rulers who had
preceded him had anticipated the day of their power's close with dread,
or smothered all thought of it in revelry; but he looked forward to it
as a day of joy, when he should enter upon a career of permanent peace
and happiness.

The day came; the freed slave, who had been made king, was deprived of
his authority; with his power he lost his royal garments; naked he was
placed upon a ship, and its sails set for the desolate isle.

Copyright (c) 2007. knowncrafts.net. All rights reserved.