1. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 4.6, 5.20, 6.5, 6.24-6.25, 7.9, 10.12, 28.47, 30.6, 34.9 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 4.6. וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם כִּי הִוא חָכְמַתְכֶם וּבִינַתְכֶם לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְעוּן אֵת כָּל־הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה וְאָמְרוּ רַק עַם־חָכָם וְנָבוֹן הַגּוֹי הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה׃ 6.5. וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶךָ׃ 6.24. וַיְצַוֵּנוּ יְהוָה לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־כָּל־הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה לְיִרְאָה אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ לְטוֹב לָנוּ כָּל־הַיָּמִים לְחַיֹּתֵנוּ כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה׃ 6.25. וּצְדָקָה תִּהְיֶה־לָּנוּ כִּי־נִשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־כָּל־הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּנוּ׃ 7.9. וְיָדַעְתָּ כִּי־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן שֹׁמֵר הַבְּרִית וְהַחֶסֶד לְאֹהֲבָיו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מצותו [מִצְוֺתָיו] לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר׃ 10.12. וְעַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל מָה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ שֹׁאֵל מֵעִמָּךְ כִּי אִם־לְיִרְאָה אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו וּלְאַהֲבָה אֹתוֹ וְלַעֲבֹד אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶׁךָ׃ 28.47. תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר לֹא־עָבַדְתָּ אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְטוּב לֵבָב מֵרֹב כֹּל׃ 30.6. וּמָל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ וְאֶת־לְבַב זַרְעֶךָ לְאַהֲבָה אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ לְמַעַן חַיֶּיךָ׃ 34.9. וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן מָלֵא רוּחַ חָכְמָה כִּי־סָמַךְ מֹשֶׁה אֶת־יָדָיו עָלָיו וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֵלָיו בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃ | 4.6. Observe therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, that, when they hear all these statutes, shall say: ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’" 5.20. And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain did burn with fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;" 6.5. And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." 6.24. And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is at this day." 6.25. And it shall be righteousness unto us, if we observe to do all this commandment before the LORD our God, as He hath commanded us.’" 7.9. Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God; the faithful God, who keepeth covet and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations;" 10.12. And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul;" 28.47. because thou didst not serve the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things;" 30.6. And the LORD thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live." 34.9. And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses." |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Esther, 1.10 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 1.10. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Bizzetha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that ministered in the presence of Ahasuerus the king," |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 20.6 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 20.6. וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לַאֲלָפִים לְאֹהֲבַי וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֺתָי׃ | 20.6. and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments." |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 3.7, 3.10, 41.33, 41.39 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 3.7. וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה עֵינֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עֵירֻמִּם הֵם וַיִּתְפְּרוּ עֲלֵה תְאֵנָה וַיַּעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם חֲגֹרֹת׃ 41.33. וְעַתָּה יֵרֶא פַרְעֹה אִישׁ נָבוֹן וְחָכָם וִישִׁיתֵהוּ עַל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם׃ 41.39. וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אֶל־יוֹסֵף אַחֲרֵי הוֹדִיעַ אֱלֹהִים אוֹתְךָ אֶת־כָּל־זֹאת אֵין־נָבוֹן וְחָכָם כָּמוֹךָ׃ | 3.7. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves girdles." 3.10. And he said: ‘I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.’" 41.33. Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt." 41.39. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: ‘Forasmuch as God hath shown thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou." |
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5. Hebrew Bible, Job, 1.13-1.22, 2.7-2.10, 27.6, 28.12-28.28 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 1.13. וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם וּבָנָיו וּבְנֹתָיו אֹכְלִים וְשֹׁתִים יַיִן בְּבֵית אֲחִיהֶם הַבְּכוֹר׃ 1.14. וּמַלְאָךְ בָּא אֶל־אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַר הַבָּקָר הָיוּ חֹרְשׁוֹת וְהָאֲתֹנוֹת רֹעוֹת עַל־יְדֵיהֶם׃ 1.15. וַתִּפֹּל שְׁבָא וַתִּקָּחֵם וְאֶת־הַנְּעָרִים הִכּוּ לְפִי־חָרֶב וָאִמָּלְטָה רַק־אֲנִי לְבַדִּי לְהַגִּיד לָךְ׃ 1.16. עוֹד זֶה מְדַבֵּר וְזֶה בָּא וַיֹּאמַר אֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים נָפְלָה מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם וַתִּבְעַר בַּצֹּאן וּבַנְּעָרִים וַתֹּאכְלֵם וָאִמָּלְטָה רַק־אֲנִי לְבַדִּי לְהַגִּיד לָךְ׃ 1.17. עוֹד זֶה מְדַבֵּר וְזֶה בָּא וַיֹּאמַר כַּשְׂדִּים שָׂמוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה רָאשִׁים וַיִּפְשְׁטוּ עַל־הַגְּמַלִּים וַיִּקָּחוּם וְאֶת־הַנְּעָרִים הִכּוּ לְפִי־חָרֶב וָאִמָּלְטָה רַק־אֲנִי לְבַדִּי לְהַגִּיד לָךְ׃ 1.18. עַד זֶה מְדַבֵּר וְזֶה בָּא וַיֹּאמַר בָּנֶיךָ וּבְנוֹתֶיךָ אֹכְלִים וְשֹׁתִים יַיִן בְּבֵית אֲחִיהֶם הַבְּכוֹר׃ 1.19. וְהִנֵּה רוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה בָּאָה מֵעֵבֶר הַמִּדְבָּר וַיִּגַּע בְּאַרְבַּע פִּנּוֹת הַבַּיִת וַיִּפֹּל עַל־הַנְּעָרִים וַיָּמוּתוּ וָאִמָּלְטָה רַק־אֲנִי לְבַדִּי לְהַגִּיד לָךְ׃ 1.21. וַיֹּאמֶר עָרֹם יצתי [יָצָאתִי] מִבֶּטֶן אִמִּי וְעָרֹם אָשׁוּב שָׁמָה יְהוָה נָתַן וַיהוָה לָקָח יְהִי שֵׁם יְהוָה מְבֹרָךְ׃ 1.22. בְּכָל־זֹאת לֹא־חָטָא אִיּוֹב וְלֹא־נָתַן תִּפְלָה לֵאלֹהִים׃ 2.7. וַיֵּצֵא הַשָּׂטָן מֵאֵת פְּנֵי יְהוָה וַיַּךְ אֶת־אִיּוֹב בִּשְׁחִין רָע מִכַּף רַגְלוֹ עד [וְעַד] קָדְקֳדוֹ׃ 2.8. וַיִּקַּח־לוֹ חֶרֶשׂ לְהִתְגָּרֵד בּוֹ וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב בְּתוֹךְ־הָאֵפֶר׃ 2.9. וַתֹּאמֶר לוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ עֹדְךָ מַחֲזִיק בְּתֻמָּתֶךָ בָּרֵךְ אֱלֹהִים וָמֻת׃ 27.6. בְּצִדְקָתִי הֶחֱזַקְתִּי וְלֹא אַרְפֶּהָ לֹא־יֶחֱרַף לְבָבִי מִיָּמָי׃ 28.12. וְהַחָכְמָה מֵאַיִן תִּמָּצֵא וְאֵי זֶה מְקוֹם בִּינָה׃ 28.13. לֹא־יָדַע אֱנוֹשׁ עֶרְכָּהּ וְלֹא תִמָּצֵא בְּאֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים׃ 28.14. תְּהוֹם אָמַר לֹא בִי־הִיא וְיָם אָמַר אֵין עִמָּדִי׃ 28.15. לֹא־יֻתַּן סְגוֹר תַּחְתֶּיהָ וְלֹא יִשָּׁקֵל כֶּסֶף מְחִירָהּ׃ 28.16. לֹא־תְסֻלֶּה בְּכֶתֶם אוֹפִיר בְּשֹׁהַם יָקָר וְסַפִּיר׃ 28.17. לֹא־יַעַרְכֶנָּה זָהָב וּזְכוֹכִית וּתְמוּרָתָהּ כְּלִי־פָז׃ 28.18. רָאמוֹת וְגָבִישׁ לֹא יִזָּכֵר וּמֶשֶׁךְ חָכְמָה מִפְּנִינִים׃ 28.19. לֹא־יַעַרְכֶנָּה פִּטְדַת־כּוּשׁ בְּכֶתֶם טָהוֹר לֹא תְסֻלֶּה׃ 28.21. וְנֶעֶלְמָה מֵעֵינֵי כָל־חָי וּמֵעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם נִסְתָּרָה׃ 28.22. אֲבַדּוֹן וָמָוֶת אָמְרוּ בְּאָזְנֵינוּ שָׁמַעְנוּ שִׁמְעָהּ׃ 28.23. אֱלֹהִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּהּ וְהוּא יָדַע אֶת־מְקוֹמָהּ׃ 28.24. כִּי־הוּא לִקְצוֹת־הָאָרֶץ יַבִּיט תַּחַת כָּל־הַשָּׁמַיִם יִרְאֶה׃ 28.25. לַעֲשׂוֹת לָרוּחַ מִשְׁקָל וּמַיִם תִּכֵּן בְּמִדָּה׃ 28.26. בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ לַמָּטָר חֹק וְדֶרֶךְ לַחֲזִיז קֹלוֹת׃ 28.27. אָז רָאָהּ וַיְסַפְּרָהּ הֱכִינָהּ וְגַם־חֲקָרָהּ׃ 28.28. וַיֹּאמֶר לָאָדָם הֵן יִרְאַת אֲדֹנָי הִיא חָכְמָה וְסוּר מֵרָע בִּינָה׃ | 1.13. And it fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house," 1.14. that there came a messenger unto Job, and said: ‘The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them;" 1.15. and the Sabeans made a raid, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.’" 1.16. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said: ‘A fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.’" 1.17. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said: ‘The Chaldeans set themselves in three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have taken them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.’" 1.18. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said: ‘Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house;" 1.19. And, behold, there came a great wind from across the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.’" 1.20. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped;" 1.21. And he said; Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return thither; The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD." 1.22. For all this Job sinned not, nor ascribed aught unseemly to God." 2.7. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot even unto his crown." 2.8. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself therewith; and he sat among the ashes." 2.9. Then said his wife unto him: ‘Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? blaspheme God, and die.’" 2.10. But he said unto her: ‘Thou speakest as one of the impious women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?’ For all this did not Job sin with his lips." 27.6. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live." 28.12. But wisdom, where shall it be found? And where is the place of understanding?" 28.13. Man knoweth not the price thereof; Neither is it found in the land of the living." 28.14. The deep saith: ‘It is not in me’; And the sea saith: ‘It is not with me.’" 28.15. It cannot be gotten for gold, Neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof." 28.16. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, With the precious onyx, or the sapphire." 28.17. Gold and glass cannot equal it; Neither shall the exchange thereof be vessels of fine gold." 28.18. No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; Yea, the price of wisdom is above rubies." 28.19. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold." 28.20. Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?" 28.21. Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, And kept close from the fowls of the air." 28.22. Destruction and Death say: ‘We have heard a rumor thereof with our ears.’" 28.23. God understandeth the way thereof, And He knoweth the place thereof." 28.24. For He looketh to the ends of the earth, And seeth under the whole heaven;" 28.25. When He maketh a weight for the wind, And meteth out the waters by measure." 28.26. When He made a decree for the rain, And a way for the storm of thunders;" 28.27. Then did He see it, and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it out." 28.28. And unto man He said: ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’" |
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6. Hebrew Bible, Micah, 3.2 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 3.2. שֹׂנְאֵי טוֹב וְאֹהֲבֵי רעה [רָע] גֹּזְלֵי עוֹרָם מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וּשְׁאֵרָם מֵעַל עַצְמוֹתָם׃ | 3.2. Who hate the good, and love the evil; who rob their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;" |
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7. Hebrew Bible, Proverbs, 1.7, 1.20-1.33, 2.7, 3.7, 3.13-3.17, 4.4-4.9, 8.1-8.12, 8.14-8.36, 9.1-9.12, 14.16, 16.6 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 1.7. יִרְאַת יְהוָה רֵאשִׁית דָּעַת חָכְמָה וּמוּסָר אֱוִילִים בָּזוּ׃ 1.21. בְּרֹאשׁ הֹמִיּוֹת תִּקְרָא בְּפִתְחֵי שְׁעָרִים בָּעִיר אֲמָרֶיהָ תֹאמֵר׃ 1.22. עַד־מָתַי פְּתָיִם תְּאֵהֲבוּ פֶתִי וְלֵצִים לָצוֹן חָמְדוּ לָהֶם וּכְסִילִים יִשְׂנְאוּ־דָעַת׃ 1.23. תָּשׁוּבוּ לְתוֹכַחְתִּי הִנֵּה אַבִּיעָה לָכֶם רוּחִי אוֹדִיעָה דְבָרַי אֶתְכֶם׃ 1.24. יַעַן קָרָאתִי וַתְּמָאֵנוּ נָטִיתִי יָדִי וְאֵין מַקְשִׁיב׃ 1.25. וַתִּפְרְעוּ כָל־עֲצָתִי וְתוֹכַחְתִּי לֹא אֲבִיתֶם׃ 1.26. גַּם־אֲנִי בְּאֵידְכֶם אֶשְׂחָק אֶלְעַג בְּבֹא פַחְדְּכֶם׃ 1.27. בְּבֹא כשאוה [כְשׁוֹאָה ] פַּחְדְּכֶם וְאֵידְכֶם כְּסוּפָה יֶאֱתֶה בְּבֹא עֲלֵיכֶם צָרָה וְצוּקָה׃ 1.28. אָז יִקְרָאֻנְנִי וְלֹא אֶעֱנֶה יְשַׁחֲרֻנְנִי וְלֹא יִמְצָאֻנְנִי׃ 1.29. תַּחַת כִּי־שָׂנְאוּ דָעַת וְיִרְאַת יְהֹוָה לֹא בָחָרוּ׃ 1.31. וְיֹאכְלוּ מִפְּרִי דַרְכָּם וּמִמֹּעֲצֹתֵיהֶם יִשְׂבָּעוּ׃ 1.32. כִּי מְשׁוּבַת פְּתָיִם תַּהַרְגֵם וְשַׁלְוַת כְּסִילִים תְּאַבְּדֵם׃ 1.33. וְשֹׁמֵעַ לִי יִשְׁכָּן־בֶּטַח וְשַׁאֲנַן מִפַּחַד רָעָה׃ 2.7. וצפן [יִצְפֹּן] לַיְשָׁרִים תּוּשִׁיָּה מָגֵן לְהֹלְכֵי תֹם׃ 3.7. אַל־תְּהִי חָכָם בְּעֵינֶיךָ יְרָא אֶת־יְהוָה וְסוּר מֵרָע׃ 3.13. אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם מָצָא חָכְמָה וְאָדָם יָפִיק תְּבוּנָה׃ 3.14. כִּי טוֹב סַחְרָהּ מִסְּחַר־כָּסֶף וּמֵחָרוּץ תְּבוּאָתָהּ׃ 3.15. יְקָרָה הִיא מפניים [מִפְּנִינִים] וְכָל־חֲפָצֶיךָ לֹא יִשְׁווּ־בָהּ׃ 3.16. אֹרֶךְ יָמִים בִּימִינָהּ בִּשְׂמֹאולָהּ עֹשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד׃ 3.17. דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹעַם וְכָל־נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם׃ 4.4. וַיֹּרֵנִי וַיֹּאמֶר לִי יִתְמָךְ־דְּבָרַי לִבֶּךָ שְׁמֹר מִצְוֺתַי וֶחְיֵה׃ 4.5. קְנֵה חָכְמָה קְנֵה בִינָה אַל־תִּשְׁכַּח וְאַל־תֵּט מֵאִמְרֵי־פִי׃ 4.6. אַל־תַּעַזְבֶהָ וְתִשְׁמְרֶךָּ אֱהָבֶהָ וְתִצְּרֶךָּ׃ 4.7. רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה קְנֵה חָכְמָה וּבְכָל־קִנְיָנְךָ קְנֵה בִינָה׃ 4.8. סַלְסְלֶהָ וּתְרוֹמְמֶךָּ תְּכַבֵּדְךָ כִּי תְחַבְּקֶנָּה׃ 4.9. תִּתֵּן לְרֹאשְׁךָ לִוְיַת־חֵן עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת תְּמַגְּנֶךָּ׃ 8.1. קְחוּ־מוּסָרִי וְאַל־כָּסֶף וְדַעַת מֵחָרוּץ נִבְחָר׃ 8.1. הֲלֹא־חָכְמָה תִקְרָא וּתְבוּנָה תִּתֵּן קוֹלָהּ׃ 8.2. בְּאֹרַח־צְדָקָה אֲהַלֵּך בְּתוֹךְ נְתִיבוֹת מִשְׁפָּט׃ 8.2. בְּרֹאשׁ־מְרוֹמִים עֲלֵי־דָרֶךְ בֵּית נְתִיבוֹת נִצָּבָה׃ 8.3. לְיַד־שְׁעָרִים לְפִי־קָרֶת מְבוֹא פְתָחִים תָּרֹנָּה׃ 8.3. וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן וָאֶהְיֶה שַׁעֲשֻׁעִים יוֹם יוֹם מְשַׂחֶקֶת לְפָנָיו בְּכָל־עֵת׃ 8.4. אֲלֵיכֶם אִישִׁים אֶקְרָא וְקוֹלִי אֶל־בְּנֵי אָדָם׃ 8.5. הָבִינוּ פְתָאיִם עָרְמָה וּכְסִילִים הָבִינוּ לֵב׃ 8.6. שִׁמְעוּ כִּי־נְגִידִים אֲדַבֵּר וּמִפְתַּח שְׂפָתַי מֵישָׁרִים׃ 8.7. כִּי־אֱמֶת יֶהְגֶּה חִכִּי וְתוֹעֲבַת שְׂפָתַי רֶשַׁע׃ 8.8. בְּצֶדֶק כָּל־אִמְרֵי־פִי אֵין בָּהֶם נִפְתָּל וְעִקֵּשׁ׃ 8.9. כֻּלָּם נְכֹחִים לַמֵּבִין וִישָׁרִים לְמֹצְאֵי דָעַת׃ 8.11. כִּי־טוֹבָה חָכְמָה מִפְּנִינִים וְכָל־חֲפָצִים לֹא יִשְׁווּ־בָהּ׃ 8.12. אֲנִי־חָכְמָה שָׁכַנְתִּי עָרְמָה וְדַעַת מְזִמּוֹת אֶמְצָא׃ 8.14. לִי־עֵצָה וְתוּשִׁיָּה אֲנִי בִינָה לִי גְבוּרָה׃ 8.15. בִּי מְלָכִים יִמְלֹכוּ וְרוֹזְנִים יְחֹקְקוּ צֶדֶק׃ 8.16. בִּי שָׂרִים יָשֹׂרוּ וּנְדִיבִים כָּל־שֹׁפְטֵי צֶדֶק׃ 8.17. אֲנִי אהביה [אֹהֲבַי] אֵהָב וּמְשַׁחֲרַי יִמְצָאֻנְנִי׃ 8.18. עֹשֶׁר־וְכָבוֹד אִתִּי הוֹן עָתֵק וּצְדָקָה׃ 8.19. טוֹב פִּרְיִי מֵחָרוּץ וּמִפָּז וּתְבוּאָתִי מִכֶּסֶף נִבְחָר׃ 8.21. לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ וְאֹצְרֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא׃ 8.22. יְהוָה קָנָנִי רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ קֶדֶם מִפְעָלָיו מֵאָז׃ 8.23. מֵעוֹלָם נִסַּכְתִּי מֵרֹאשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־אָרֶץ׃ 8.24. בְּאֵין־תְּהֹמוֹת חוֹלָלְתִּי בְּאֵין מַעְיָנוֹת נִכְבַּדֵּי־מָיִם׃ 8.25. בְּטֶרֶם הָרִים הָטְבָּעוּ לִפְנֵי גְבָעוֹת חוֹלָלְתִּי׃ 8.26. עַד־לֹא עָשָׂה אֶרֶץ וְחוּצוֹת וְרֹאשׁ עָפְרוֹת תֵּבֵל׃ 8.27. בַּהֲכִינוֹ שָׁמַיִם שָׁם אָנִי בְּחוּקוֹ חוּג עַל־פְּנֵי תְהוֹם׃ 8.28. בְּאַמְּצוֹ שְׁחָקִים מִמָּעַל בַּעֲזוֹז עִינוֹת תְּהוֹם׃ 8.29. בְּשׂוּמוֹ לַיָּם חֻקּוֹ וּמַיִם לֹא יַעַבְרוּ־פִיו בְּחוּקוֹ מוֹסְדֵי אָרֶץ׃ 8.31. מְשַׂחֶקֶת בְּתֵבֵל אַרְצוֹ וְשַׁעֲשֻׁעַי אֶת־בְּנֵי אָדָם׃ 8.32. וְעַתָּה בָנִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִי וְאַשְׁרֵי דְּרָכַי יִשְׁמֹרוּ׃ 8.33. שִׁמְעוּ מוּסָר וַחֲכָמוּ וְאַל־תִּפְרָעוּ׃ 8.34. אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם שֹׁמֵעַ לִי לִשְׁקֹד עַל־דַּלְתֹתַי יוֹם יוֹם לִשְׁמֹר מְזוּזֹת פְּתָחָי׃ 8.35. כִּי מֹצְאִי מצאי [מָצָא] חַיִּים וַיָּפֶק רָצוֹן מֵיְהוָה׃ 8.36. וְחֹטְאִי חֹמֵס נַפְשׁוֹ כָּל־מְשַׂנְאַי אָהֲבוּ מָוֶת׃ 9.1. חָכְמוֹת בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ חָצְבָה עַמּוּדֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה׃ 9.1. תְּחִלַּת חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יְהוָה וְדַעַת קְדֹשִׁים בִּינָה׃ 9.2. טָבְחָה טִבְחָהּ מָסְכָה יֵינָהּ אַף עָרְכָה שֻׁלְחָנָהּ׃ 9.3. שָׁלְחָה נַעֲרֹתֶיהָ תִקְרָא עַל־גַּפֵּי מְרֹמֵי קָרֶת׃ 9.4. מִי־פֶתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה חֲסַר־לֵב אָמְרָה לּוֹ׃ 9.5. לְכוּ לַחֲמוּ בְלַחֲמִי וּשְׁתוּ בְּיַיִן מָסָכְתִּי׃ 9.6. עִזְבוּ פְתָאיִם וִחְיוּ וְאִשְׁרוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ בִּינָה׃ 9.7. יֹסֵר לֵץ לֹקֵחַ לוֹ קָלוֹן וּמוֹכִיחַ לְרָשָׁע מוּמוֹ׃ 9.8. אַל־תּוֹכַח לֵץ פֶּן־יִשְׂנָאֶךָּ הוֹכַח לְחָכָם וְיֶאֱהָבֶךָּ׃ 9.9. תֵּן לְחָכָם וְיֶחְכַּם־עוֹד הוֹדַע לְצַדִּיק וְיוֹסֶף לֶקַח׃ 9.11. כִּי־בִי יִרְבּוּ יָמֶיךָ וְיוֹסִיפוּ לְּךָ שְׁנוֹת חַיִּים׃ 9.12. אִם־חָכַמְתָּ חָכַמְתָּ לָּךְ וְלַצְתָּ לְבַדְּךָ תִשָּׂא׃ 14.16. חָכָם יָרֵא וְסָר מֵרָע וּכְסִיל מִתְעַבֵּר וּבוֹטֵחַ׃ 16.6. בְּחֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת יְכֻפַּר עָוֺן וּבְיִרְאַת יְהוָה סוּר מֵרָע׃ | 1.7. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; But the foolish despise wisdom and discipline." 1.20. Wisdom crieth aloud in the streets, she uttereth her voice in the broad places;" 1.21. She calleth at the head of the noisy streets, at the entrances of the gates, in the city, she uttereth her words:" 1.22. ’How long, ye thoughtless, will ye love thoughtlessness? And how long will scorners delight them in scorning, And fools hate knowledge?" 1.23. Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you." 1.24. Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man attended," 1.25. But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof;" 1.26. I also, in your calamity, will laugh, I will mock when your dread cometh;" 1.27. When your dread cometh as a storm, and your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; When trouble and distress come upon you." 1.28. Then will they call me, but I will not answer, they will seek me earnestly, but they shall not find me." 1.29. For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD;" 1.30. They would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof." 1.31. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices." 1.32. For the waywardness of the thoughtless shall slay them, and the confidence of fools shall destroy them." 1.33. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.’" 2.7. He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright, He is a shield to them that walk in integrity;" 3.7. Be not wise in thine own eyes; Fear the LORD, and depart from evil;" 3.13. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, And the man that obtaineth understanding." 3.14. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, And the gain thereof than fine gold." 3.15. She is more precious than rubies; And all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her." 3.16. Length of days is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honour." 3.17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace." 4.4. And he taught me, and said unto me: ‘Let thy heart hold fast my words, Keep my commandments, and live;" 4.5. Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;" 4.6. Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee." 4.7. The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding." 4.8. Extol her, and she will exalt thee; She will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her." 4.9. She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; A crown of glory will she bestow on thee.’" 8.1. Doth not wisdom call, And understanding put forth her voice?" 8.2. In the top of high places by the way, Where the paths meet, she standeth;" 8.3. Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:" 8.4. ’Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men." 8.5. O ye thoughtless, understand prudence, And, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart." 8.6. Hear, for I will speak excellent things, And the opening of my lips shall be right things." 8.7. For my mouth shall utter truth, And wickedness is an abomination to my lips." 8.8. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness, There is nothing perverse or crooked in them." 8.9. They are all plain to him that understandeth, And right to them that find knowledge." 8.10. Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold." 8.11. For wisdom is better than rubies, And all things desirable are not to be compared unto her." 8.12. I wisdom dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge of devices." 8.14. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine." 8.15. By me kings reign, And princes decree justice." 8.16. By me princes rule, And nobles, even all the judges of the earth." 8.17. I love them that love me, And those that seek me earnestly shall find me." 8.18. Riches and honour are with me; Yea, enduring riches and righteousness." 8.19. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; And my produce than choice silver." 8.20. I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice;" 8.21. That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, And that I may fill their treasuries." 8.22. The LORD made me as the beginning of His way, The first of His works of old." 8.23. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Or ever the earth was." 8.24. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; When there were no fountains abounding with water." 8.25. Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth;" 8.26. While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world." 8.27. When He established the heavens, I was there; When He set a circle upon the face of the deep," 8.28. When He made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep showed their might," 8.29. When He gave to the sea His decree, That the waters should not transgress His commandment, When He appointed the foundations of the earth;" 8.30. Then I was by Him, as a nursling; And I was daily all delight, Playing always before Him," 8.31. Playing in His habitable earth, And my delights are with the sons of men." 8.32. Now therefore, ye children, hearken unto me; For happy are they that keep my ways." 8.33. Hear instruction, and be wise, And refuse it not." 8.34. Happy is the man that hearkeneth to me, Watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors." 8.35. For whoso findeth me findeth life, And obtaineth favour of the LORD." 8.36. But he that misseth me wrongeth his own soul; All they that hate me love death.’" 9.1. Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars;" 9.2. She hath prepared her meat, she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table." 9.3. She hath sent forth her maidens, she calleth, upon the highest places of the city:" 9.4. ’Whoso is thoughtless, let him turn in hither’; as for him that lacketh understanding, she saith to him:" 9.5. 'Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled." 9.6. Forsake all thoughtlessness, and live; and walk in the way of understanding." 9.7. He that correcteth a scorner getteth to himself shame, and he that reproveth a wicked man, it becometh unto him a blot." 9.8. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee; reprove a wise man, and he will love thee." 9.9. Give to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning." 9.10. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the All-holy is understanding." 9.11. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased." 9.12. If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself; And if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.’" 14.16. A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil; But the fool behaveth overbearingly, and is confident." 16.6. By mercy and truth iniquity is expiated; And by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil." |
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8. Hebrew Bible, Psalms, 15.2, 15.4, 45.7, 52.3, 112.1, 116.1 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 15.2. הוֹלֵךְ תָּמִים וּפֹעֵל צֶדֶק וְדֹבֵר אֱמֶת בִּלְבָבוֹ׃ 15.4. נִבְזֶה בְּעֵינָיו נִמְאָס וְאֶת־יִרְאֵי יְהוָה יְכַבֵּד נִשְׁבַּע לְהָרַע וְלֹא יָמִר׃ 45.7. כִּסְאֲךָ אֱלֹהִים עוֹלָם וָעֶד שֵׁבֶט מִישֹׁר שֵׁבֶט מַלְכוּתֶךָ׃ 52.3. מַה־תִּתְהַלֵּל בְּרָעָה הַגִּבּוֹר חֶסֶד אֵל כָּל־הַיּוֹם׃ 112.1. רָשָׁע יִרְאֶה וְכָעָס שִׁנָּיו יַחֲרֹק וְנָמָס תַּאֲוַת רְשָׁעִים תֹּאבֵד׃ 112.1. הַלְלוּ יָהּ אַשְׁרֵי־אִישׁ יָרֵא אֶת־יְהוָה בְּמִצְוֺתָיו חָפֵץ מְאֹד׃ 116.1. הֶאֱמַנְתִּי כִּי אֲדַבֵּר אֲנִי עָנִיתִי מְאֹד׃ 116.1. אָהַבְתִּי כִּי־יִשְׁמַע יְהוָה אֶת־קוֹלִי תַּחֲנוּנָי׃ | 15.2. He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, And speaketh truth in his heart;" 15.4. In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honoureth them that fear the LORD; He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not;" 45.7. Thy throne given of God is for ever and ever; A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom." 52.3. Why boastest thou thyself of evil, O mighty man? The mercy of God endureth continually." 112.1. Hallelujah. Happy is the man that feareth the LORD, That delighteth greatly in His commandments." 116.1. I love that the LORD should hear my voice and my supplications." |
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9. Hebrew Bible, 1 Kings, 2.9, 3.12 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 2.9. וְעַתָּה אַל־תְּנַקֵּהוּ כִּי אִישׁ חָכָם אָתָּה וְיָדַעְתָּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה־לּוֹ וְהוֹרַדְתָּ אֶת־שֵׂיבָתוֹ בְּדָם שְׁאוֹל׃ 3.12. הִנֵּה עָשִׂיתִי כִּדְבָרֶיךָ הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי לְךָ לֵב חָכָם וְנָבוֹן אֲשֶׁר כָּמוֹךָ לֹא־הָיָה לְפָנֶיךָ וְאַחֲרֶיךָ לֹא־יָקוּם כָּמוֹךָ׃ | 2.9. Now therefore hold him not guiltless, for thou art a wise man; and thou wilt know what thou oughtest to do unto him, and thou shalt bring his hoar head down to the grave with blood.’" 3.12. behold, I have done according to thy word: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there hath been none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee." |
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10. Hebrew Bible, 1 Samuel, 16.18, 25.3, 25.33 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 16.18. וַיַּעַן אֶחָד מֵהַנְּעָרִים וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה רָאִיתִי בֵּן לְיִשַׁי בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי יֹדֵעַ נַגֵּן וְגִבּוֹר חַיִל וְאִישׁ מִלְחָמָה וּנְבוֹן דָּבָר וְאִישׁ תֹּאַר וַיהוָה עִמּוֹ׃ 25.3. וְשֵׁם הָאִישׁ נָבָל וְשֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ אֲבִגָיִל וְהָאִשָּׁה טוֹבַת־שֶׂכֶל וִיפַת תֹּאַר וְהָאִישׁ קָשֶׁה וְרַע מַעֲלָלִים וְהוּא כלבו [כָלִבִּי׃] 25.3. וְהָיָה כִּי־יַעֲשֶׂה יְהוָה לַאדֹנִי כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אֶת־הַטּוֹבָה עָלֶיךָ וְצִוְּךָ לְנָגִיד עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 25.33. וּבָרוּךְ טַעְמֵךְ וּבְרוּכָה אָתְּ אֲשֶׁר כְּלִתִנִי הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה מִבּוֹא בְדָמִים וְהֹשֵׁעַ יָדִי לִי׃ | 16.18. Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Yishay the Bet-hallaĥmite, that knows how to play, and a fine warrior, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him." 25.3. Now the name of the man was Naval; and the name of his wife Avigayil: and she was a woman of good understanding, and fair of form: but the man was hardhearted and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Kalev." 25.33. and blessed be thy discretion, and blessed be thou who hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with my own hand." |
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11. Hebrew Bible, 2 Samuel, 13.3, 14.2, 14.20, 20.16, 20.22 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 13.3. וַיְהִי הֵמָּה בַדֶּרֶךְ וְהַשְּׁמֻעָה בָאָה אֶל־דָּוִד לֵאמֹר הִכָּה אַבְשָׁלוֹם אֶת־כָּל־בְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְלֹא־נוֹתַר מֵהֶם אֶחָד׃ 13.3. וּלְאַמְנוֹן רֵעַ וּשְׁמוֹ יוֹנָדָב בֶּן־שִׁמְעָה אֲחִי דָוִד וְיוֹנָדָב אִישׁ חָכָם מְאֹד׃ 14.2. לְבַעֲבוּר סַבֵּב אֶת־פְּנֵי הַדָּבָר עָשָׂה עַבְדְּךָ יוֹאָב אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וַאדֹנִי חָכָם כְּחָכְמַת מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים לָדַעַת אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ׃ 14.2. וַיִּשְׁלַח יוֹאָב תְּקוֹעָה וַיִּקַּח מִשָּׁם אִשָּׁה חֲכָמָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ הִתְאַבְּלִי־נָא וְלִבְשִׁי־נָא בִגְדֵי־אֵבֶל וְאַל־תָּסוּכִי שֶׁמֶן וְהָיִית כְּאִשָּׁה זֶה יָמִים רַבִּים מִתְאַבֶּלֶת עַל־מֵת׃ 20.16. וַתִּקְרָא אִשָּׁה חֲכָמָה מִן־הָעִיר שִׁמְעוּ שִׁמְעוּ אִמְרוּ־נָא אֶל־יוֹאָב קְרַב עַד־הֵנָּה וַאֲדַבְּרָה אֵלֶיךָ׃ 20.22. וַתָּבוֹא הָאִשָּׁה אֶל־כָּל־הָעָם בְּחָכְמָתָהּ וַיִּכְרְתוּ אֶת־רֹאשׁ שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי וַיַּשְׁלִכוּ אֶל־יוֹאָב וַיִּתְקַע בַּשּׁוֹפָר וַיָּפֻצוּ מֵעַל־הָעִיר אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו וְיוֹאָב שָׁב יְרוּשָׁלִַם אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ׃ | 13.3. But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Yonadav, the son of Shim῾a David’s brother: and Yonadav was a very subtle man." 14.2. And Yo᾽av sent to Teqo῾a, and fetched from there a wise woman, and said to her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and do not anoint thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:" 14.20. to turn this matter the other way, has thy servant Yo᾽av done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are on the earth." 20.16. Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, to Yo᾽av, Come near here; that I may speak with thee." 20.22. Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheva the son of Bikhri, and cast it out to Yo᾽av. And he blew on the shofar, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Yo᾽av returned to Yerushalayim to the king." |
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12. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 56.6 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 56.6. וּבְנֵי הַנֵּכָר הַנִּלְוִים עַל־יְהוָה לְשָׁרְתוֹ וּלְאַהֲבָה אֶת־שֵׁם יְהוָה לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לַעֲבָדִים כָּל־שֹׁמֵר שַׁבָּת מֵחַלְּלוֹ וּמַחֲזִיקִים בִּבְרִיתִי׃ | 56.6. Also the aliens, that join themselves to the LORD, to minister unto Him, And to love the name of the LORD, To be His servants, Every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, And holdeth fast by My covet:" |
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13. Hebrew Bible, Nehemiah, 1.5 (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)
| 1.5. וָאֹמַר אָנָּא יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא שֹׁמֵר הַבְּרִית וָחֶסֶד לְאֹהֲבָיו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֺתָיו׃ | 1.5. and said: ‘I beseech Thee, O LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awful God, that keepeth covet and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments;" |
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14. Anon., 1 Enoch, 91.3-91.4, 94.1, 94.3, 94.5 (3rd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 91.3. And he spake unto all the children of righteousness and said: 91.4. Love uprightness and walk therein. And draw not nigh to uprightness with a double heart, And associate not with those of a double heart,But walk in righteousness, my sons. And it shall guide you on good paths, And righteousness shall be your companion. 94.1. And now I say unto you, my sons, love righteousness and walk therein; For the paths of righteousness are worthy of acceptation, But the paths of unrighteousness shall suddenly be destroyed and vanish. 94.1. Thus I speak and declare unto you: He who hath created you will overthrow you, And for your fall there shall be no compassion, And your Creator will rejoice at your destruction. 94.3. And now I say unto you the righteous: Walk not in the paths of wickedness, nor in the paths of death, And draw not nigh to them, lest ye be destroyed. 94.5. And hold fast my words in the thoughts of your hearts, And suffer them not to be effaced from your hearts;For I know that sinners will tempt men to evilly-entreat wisdom, So that no place may be found for her, And no manner of temptation may minish. |
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15. Anon., Testament of Levi, 3.9 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 3.9. When, therefore, the Lord looketh upon us, all of us are shaken; yea, the heavens, and the earth, and the abysses are shaken at the presence of His majesty. |
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16. Septuagint, Ecclesiasticus (Siracides), 1.27, 4.11-4.19, 9.10-9.12, 9.14-9.16, 40.20 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 1.27. For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and instruction,and he delights in fidelity and meekness. 4.11. Wisdom exalts her sons and gives help to those who seek her. 4.12. Whoever loves her loves life,and those who seek her early will be filled with joy. 4.13. Whoever holds her fast will obtain glory,and the Lord will bless the place she enters. 4.14. Those who serve her will minister to the Holy One;the Lord loves those who love her. 4.15. He who obeys her will judge the nations,and whoever gives heed to her will dwell secure. 4.16. If he has faith in her he will obtain her;and his descendants will remain in possession of her. 4.17. For at first she will walk with him on tortuous paths,she will bring fear and cowardice upon him,and will torment him by her discipline until she trusts him,and she will test him with her ordices. 4.18. Then she will come straight back to him and gladden him,and will reveal her secrets to him. 4.19. If he goes astray she will forsake him,and hand him over to his ruin. 9.11. Do not envy the honors of a sinner,for you do not know what his end will be. 9.12. Do not delight in what pleases the ungodly;remember that they will not be held guiltless as long as they live. 9.14. As much as you can, aim to know your neighbors,and consult with the wise. 9.15. Let your conversation be with men of understanding,and let all your discussion be about the law of the Most High. 9.16. Let righteous men be your dinner companions,and let your glorying be in the fear of the Lord. |
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17. Septuagint, Wisdom of Solomon, 1.1, 6.12, 6.17 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 1.1. Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth,think of the Lord with uprightness,and seek him with sincerity of heart; 6.12. Wisdom is radiant and unfading,and she is easily discerned by those who love her,and is found by those who seek her. 6.17. The beginning of wisdom is the most sincere desire for instruction,and concern for instruction is love of her |
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18. Philo of Alexandria, On The Preliminary Studies, 26 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 26. For since our soul is composed of two parts, and since the one contains the rational faculties, and the other the irrational ones, it follows that each part must have its own peculiar virtue, Leah being the virtue of the rational part, and Rachel of the irrational. |
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19. Philo of Alexandria, On Giants, 56 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 56. but Moses, when he had arrived at that number of years, departed from mortal life to another. How, then, can it be natural for men who are guilty to live an equal length of time with the all-wise prophet? for the present, it will be sufficient to say this, that things which bear the same name are not in all cases alike, but very often they are distinct in their whole genus; and also that which is bad may have equal numbers and times with what is good, since they are represented as twofold, but still they have their respective powers, distinct from one another, and as remote and different as possible. |
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20. Philo of Alexandria, Who Is The Heir, 232 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 232. But by nature our mind is indivisible; for the Creator, having divided the irrational part of the soul into six portions, has made six divisions of it, namely, sight, taste, hearing, smelling, touch, and voice; but the rational part, which is called the mind he has left undivided, according to the likeness of the entire heaven. |
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21. New Testament, Philippians, 2.12-2.13 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.12. So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 2.13. For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. |
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22. New Testament, Romans, 12.9 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 12.9. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. |
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23. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 152a. ושל בית הכסא רעות של סם ושל שחוק ושל פירות יפות,(קהלת יב, ג) ביום שיזועו שומרי הבית והתעותו וגו' ביום שיזועו שומרי הבית אלו הכסלים והצלעות והתעותו אנשי החיל אלו שוקים ובטלו הטוחנות אלו שינים וחשכו הרואות בארובות אלו עינים,א"ל קיסר לר' יהושע בן חנניה מ"ט לא אתית לבי אבידן א"ל טור תלג סחרוני גלידין כלבוהי לא נבחין טחנוהי לא טוחנין בי רב אמרי אדלא אבידנא בחישנא,תניא רבי יוסי בר קיסמא אומר טבא תרי מתלת ווי לה לחדא דאזלא ולא אתיא מאי היא א"ר חסדא ינקותא כי אתא רב דימי אמר ינקותא כלילא דוורדא סבותא כלילא דחילפא תנא משמיה דרבי מאיר דוק בככי ותשכח בניגרי שנאמר (ירמיהו מד, יז) ונשבע לחם ונהיה טובים ורעה לא ראינו א"ל שמואל לרב יהודה שיננא שרי שקיך ועייל לחמך עד ארבעין שנין מיכלא מעלי מכאן ואילך משתי מעלי,א"ל ההוא גוזאה לר' יהושע בן קרחה מהכא לקרחינא כמה הוי א"ל כמהכא לגוזניא א"ל צדוקי ברחא קרחא בארבעה אמר ליה עיקרא שליפא בתמניא,חזייה דלא סיים מסאניה א"ל דעל סוס מלך דעל חמור בן חורין ודמנעלי בריגלוהי בר איניש דלא הא ולא הא דחפיר וקביר טב מיניה א"ל גוזא גוזא תלת אמרת לי תלת שמעת הדרת פנים זקן שמחת לב אשה (תהלים קכז, ג) נחלת ה' בנים ברוך המקום שמנעך מכולם א"ל קרחא מצויינא אמר ליה עיקרא שליפא תוכחה,א"ל רבי לר' שמעון בן חלפתא מפני מה לא הקבלנו פניך ברגל כדרך שהקבילו אבותי לאבותיך א"ל סלעים נעשו גבוהים קרובים נעשו רחוקים משתים נעשו שלש משים שלום בבית בטל:,(קהלת יב, ד) וסגרו דלתים בשוק וגו' אלו נקביו של אדם בשפל קול הטחנה בשביל קורקבן שאינו טוחן ויקום לקול הצפור שאפילו צפור מנערתו משנתו וישחו כל בנות השיר שאפילו (קול שירים ושירות) דומות עליו כשוחה,ואף ברזילי הגלעדי אמר לדוד (שמואל ב יט, לו) בן שמנים שנה אנכי היום האדע בין טוב לרע מכאן שדעותן של זקנים משתנות אם יטעם עבדך את אשר אוכל ואת אשר אשתה מכאן ששפתותיהן של זקנים מתרפטות אם אשמע עוד בקול שרים ושרות מכאן שאזניהם של זקנים מתכבדות,אמר רב ברזילי הגלעדי שקרא הוה דההיא אמתא דהויא בי רבי בת תשעין ותרתין שנין והות טעמא קידרא רבא אמר ברזילי הגלעדי שטוף בזמה הוה וכל השטוף בזמה זקנה קופצת עליו תניא רבי ישמעאל ברבי יוסי אומר תלמידי חכמים כל זמן שמזקינין חכמה נתוספת בהם שנאמר (איוב יב, יב) בישישים חכמה ואורך ימים תבונה ועמי הארץ כל זמן שמזקינין טפשות נתוספת בהן שנאמר (איוב יב, כ) מסיר שפה לנאמנים וטעם זקנים יקח,גם מגבוה ייראו שאפילו גבשושית קטנה דומה עליו כהרי הרים וחתחתים בדרך בשעה שמהלך בדרך נעשו לו תוהים וינאץ השקד זו קליבוסת ויסתבל החגב אלו עגבות ותפר האביונה זו חמדה,רב כהנא הוה פסיק סידרא קמיה דרב כי מטא להאי קרא נגיד ואתנח אמר ש"מ בטל ליה חמדיה דרב אמר רב כהנא מאי דכתיב (תהלים לג, ט) כי הוא אמר ויהי זו אשה הוא צוה ויעמוד אלו בנים תנא אשה חמת מלא צואה ופיה מלא דם והכל רצין אחריה,(קהלת יב, ה) כי הולך האדם אל בית עולמו א"ר יצחק מלמד שכל צדיק וצדיק נותנין לו מדור לפי כבודו משל למלך שנכנס הוא ועבדיו לעיר כשהן נכנסין כולן בשער אחד נכנסין כשהן לנין כל אחד ואחד נותנין לו מדור לפי כבודו,ואמר רבי יצחק מאי דכתיב (קהלת יא, י) כי הילדות והשחרות הבל דברים שאדם עושה בילדותו משחירים פניו לעת זקנתו,ואמר רבי יצחק קשה רימה למת כמחט בבשר החי שנאמר (איוב יד, כב) אך בשרו עליו יכאב אמר רב חסדא נפשו של אדם מתאבלת עליו כל שבעה שנא' ונפשו עליו תאבל וכתיב (בראשית נ, י) ויעש לאביו אבל שבעת ימים,אמר רב יהודה מת שאין לו מנחמין הולכין י' בני אדם ויושבין במקומו ההוא דשכיב בשבבותיה דרב יהודה לא היו לו מנחמין | 152a. band frompain in bthe bathroom are badfor the eyes. Tears that come bfrommedicinal bdrugs, and from laughter, and fromsharp bproduce are goodfor the eyes.,The Gemara continues to interpret verses from the Book of Ecclesiastes. The verse states: b“On the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble,and the strong men bshall bow themselves,and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out the windows shall be dimmed” (Ecclesiastes 12:3). b“On the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble”; thisis referring to bthe flanks and ribsthat surround and protect a person’s internal organs. b“And the strong men shall bow themselves”; these are the thighs,which support a person’s strength. b“And the grinders cease”; these are the teeth,which decay and fall out. b“And those that look out the windows shall be dimmed”; these are the eyes,which become dimmer.,The Gemara relates: The Roman bemperor said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥaya: What is the reason you did not come to the House of Avidan?This was a place in which dialogues and debates were conducted. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥaya bsaid to himenigmatically: bThe snowy mountain is surrounded with ice,meaning that his hair had turned white; bhis dogs do not bark,meaning that his voice could no longer be heard; bhis grinders have ceased grinding,meaning that his teeth had fallen out. In bthe school of Rav they saythat he added: bI am searching for that which I have not lost,because an old man walks bent over and appears to be searching for something., bIt was taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Yosei bar Kisma says:The btwofeet of one’s youth bare better than the threeof old age, when one walks with a cane. bWoe to the one who goes and does not comeback. bWhat is thisreferring to? bRav Ḥisda said: Youth.Similarly, bwhen Rav Dimi camefrom Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia bhe said: Youth is a crown of roses; old age is a crown of thorns.The Sage btaught in the name of Rabbi Meir: Grindfood bwith your teeth andyou will bfind in your feetthe strength to carry your body, bas it is stated: “For we were sated with our bread and were well, and saw no evil”(Jeremiah 44:17). bShmuel said to Rav Yehuda: Large-toothed one; untie your sack,that is, your mouth, band insert your food. Untilthe age of bforty years, food is beneficial; from here and on, drinking is beneficial. /b,Having quoted some aphorisms of the Sages, the Gemara relates the following conversation: bA certain eunuchwho was an apostate bsaidthe following bto Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥaas a provocation: bHowfar is bit from here to Karḥina?The provocateur’s intention was to hint to the fact that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa was bald [ ikere’aḥ /i]. bHe said to him: It is the same asthe distance bfrom here tothe mountains of bGozen,hinting at the eunuch’s castration, which in Aramaic is igoza(Rav Ya’akov Emden). The apostate bsaid to him: A bald buckis sold bfor four idinar /i. bHe said to him: A castrated goat [ iikkara shelifa /i]is sold bfor eight. /b,The apostate bsaw thatRabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa bwas not wearing shoes.He bsaid to him:One who rides bon a horseis a bking.One who rides bon a donkeyis ba free man. And one who wears shoes isat least ba human being.One who does bneither this nor that,someone bwho is buriedin the earth bis better than him. He said to him: Eunuch, eunuch, you said to me three things,and now bhear threethings: bThe glory of a face is the beard, the joy of the heart is a wife,and b“the portion of the Lord is children”(Psalms 127:3); bblessed is the Omnipresent who has denied you all of them,for a eunuch does not have a beard, a wife or children. bHe said to him:Does ba bald man quarrel? He said to him:Does ba castrated male goatspeak words of brebuke? /b,The Gemara again addresses old age: bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bsaid to Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta: For whatreason bdid we not greet you during the Festival the way that my fathers greeted your fathers?This was a polite way of asking Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta why he had not come to visit Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. He bsaid to him:Because I have grown old, and bthe rockson the road bhave become tall,and destinations that are bnear have become far away,and my btwofeet bhave been made into threewith the addition of a cane, and bthat which brings peace to the house,namely, the sexual drive which motivates a couple to make peace, bis no more. /b,The Gemara continues to expound the verses of the final chapter of Ecclesiastes. The verse states: “And the doors shall be shut in the marketplace when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall start up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low” (Ecclesiastes 12:4). The Sages expounded: b“And the doors shall be shut in the marketplace”; these are a person’s orifices,which cease to function normally. The interpretation continues: b“When the sound of the grinding is low”; because the stomach is not grindingand digesting one’s food. b“And one shall start up at the voice of a bird”;because one is unable to sleep deeply such bthat even a bird will wake him from his sleep. “And all the daughters of music shall be brought low”;this means bthat even the voices of male and female singers will seem to him likemere bconversation,and he will no longer derive pleasure from song., bAnd even Barzilai the Gileadite said to David: “Today I am eighty years old, can I discern between good and bad?Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women?” (II Samuel 19:36). The Gemara explains: “Can I discern between good and bad”; bfrom herewe derive bthat the minds of the elderly changeand they no longer discern properly. b“Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink”; from herewe derive bthat the lips of the elderly crack and wither. “Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women”; from herewe derive bthat the ears of the elderly become heavy. /b, bRav said: Barzilai the Gileadite was a liarand he merely wanted to avoid joining David upon his return to Jerusalem, for an eighty-year old man is not usually this debilitated. bFor there was a particular maidservant in the house of RabbiYehuda HaNasi bwho was ninety-two years old, and she would tastethe food that was cooking bin the pots. Rava said:Barzilai was speaking the truth, but bBarzilai the Gileadite was steeped in promiscuity, and anyone who is steeped in promiscuity is overtaken by old agebefore his time. bIt was taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei, says: As Torah scholars grow older, wisdom is increased in them, as it is stated: “With aged men is wisdom; and length of days brings understanding”(Job 12:12). bAnd as ignoramuses grow older, foolishness is increased in them, as it is stated: “He removes the speech of men of trust and takes away the understanding of the aged”(Job 12:20).,The Gemara continues interpreting verses from Ecclesiastes. The verse states: “Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high and terrors shall be on the road, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall drag itself along, and the caper berry shall fail, for a person goes to his eternal home, and the mourners circle the marketplace” (Ecclesiastes 12:5). The Gemara explains: b“Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high”;this means bthat even a small knollon the road bseems to him,the elderly, blike the highest of mountains. “And terrors shall be on the road”;this means bthat while he is walking on the road he will have terrors,i.e., he will fear falling or otherwise suffering injury. b“And the almond tree shall blossom”; this is the hip bonethat protrudes from the skin of an elderly person. b“And the grasshopper [ iḥagav /i] shall drag itself along [ iyistabbel /i]”;by replacing the letter iḥetof iḥagavwith an iayin /i, bthiscan be understood as referring to the bbuttocks [ iagavot /i]which become heavy [ isevel /i]. b“And the caper berry shall fail”; this issexual bdesirethat ceases.,The Gemara relates that bRav Kahana was readingbiblical bverses before Rav. When he got to this verse,Rav bsighed.Rav Kahana bsaid:We can bderive from this that Rav’s desire has ceased. Rav Kahanaalso bsaid: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written:“For He spoke and it was, He commanded and it stood” (Psalms 33:9)? He understands this to mean that God created man with desires that push him to do things he would not do if he acted purely on the judgment of his intellect, and Rav Kahana therefore interprets the verse in the following manner: b“For He spoke and it was”; this is a womanthat a man marries. b“He commanded and it stood”; these are the childrenwho one works hard to raise. A itanna btaughtin a ibaraita /i: bA woman isessentially ba flask full of feces,a reference to the digestive system, band her mouth is full of blood,a euphemistic reference to menstruation, yet men are not deterred band they all run after herwith desire.,The Gemara interprets the continuation of the verse cited above: b“For a person goes to his eternal home”(Ecclesiastes 12:5). bRabbi Yitzḥak said: This teaches that each and every righteous person is given a dwelling placein the World-to-Come bin accordance with his honor.The Gemara offers ba parablein which ba king enters a city along with his servants. When they enter, they all enter through a single gate;however, bwhen they sleep, each one is given a dwelling place in accordance with his honor.So too, although everyone dies, not everyone receives the same reward in the World-to-Come., bAnd Rabbi Yitzḥak said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “For childhood and youth [ ishaḥarut /i] are vanity”(Ecclesiastes 11:10)? Sinful bthings that a person does in his youth darken [ imashḥirim /i] his facewith shame bas he grows old(Rabbi Yoshiya Pinto)., bAnd Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The maggotsthat eat the flesh of the deceased bare as painful to the dead as a needle in the flesh of the living, as it sayswith regard to the dead: b“But his flesh is in pain for him,and his soul mourns over him” (Job 14:22). bRav Ḥisda said: A person’s soul mourns for himduring ball seven daysof mourning following his death, bas it is stated: And his soul mourns over him,” and it isalso bwritten: “And he mourned his father seven days”(Genesis 50:10)., bRav Yehuda said:In the case of ba deceased person who has no comforters,i.e., he has nobody to mourn for him, bten people should go and sit in his placeand accept condolences. The Gemara relates the story of ba certain person who died in Rav Yehuda’s neighborhoodand bwho did not haveany bcomforters,i.e., mourners; |
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24. Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 52a. (זכריה יב, יב) וספדה הארץ משפחות משפחות לבד משפחת בית דוד לבד ונשיהם לבד אמרו והלא דברים ק"ו ומה לעתיד לבא שעוסקין בהספד ואין יצר הרע שולט בהם אמרה תורה אנשים לבד ונשים לבד עכשיו שעסוקין בשמחה ויצה"ר שולט בהם על אחת כמה וכמה,הא הספידא מאי עבידתיה פליגי בה רבי דוסא ורבנן חד אמר על משיח בן יוסף שנהרג וחד אמר על יצה"ר שנהרג,בשלמא למאן דאמר על משיח בן יוסף שנהרג היינו דכתיב (זכריה יב, י) והביטו אלי את אשר דקרו וספדו עליו כמספד על היחיד אלא למאן דאמר על יצר הרע שנהרג האי הספידא בעי למעבד שמחה בעי למעבד אמאי בכו,כדדרש רבי יהודה לעתיד לבא מביאו הקב"ה ליצר הרע ושוחטו בפני הצדיקים ובפני הרשעים צדיקים נדמה להם כהר גבוה ורשעים נדמה להם כחוט השערה הללו בוכין והללו בוכין צדיקים בוכין ואומרים היאך יכולנו לכבוש הר גבוה כזה ורשעים בוכין ואומרים היאך לא יכולנו לכבוש את חוט השערה הזה ואף הקב"ה תמה עמהם שנאמר (זכריה ח, ו) כה אמר ה' צבאות כי יפלא בעיני שארית העם הזה בימים ההם גם בעיני יפלא,א"ר אסי יצה"ר בתחילה דומה לחוט של בוכיא ולבסוף דומה כעבותות העגלה שנאמר (ישעיהו ה, יח) הוי מושכי העון בחבלי השוא וכעבות העגלה חטאה,תנו רבנן משיח בן דוד שעתיד להגלות במהרה בימינו אומר לו הקב"ה שאל ממני דבר ואתן לך שנאמר (תהלים ב, ז) אספרה אל חוק וגו' אני היום ילדתיך (תהלים ב, ח) שאל ממני ואתנה גוים נחלתך וכיון שראה משיח בן יוסף שנהרג אומר לפניו רבש"ע איני מבקש ממך אלא חיים אומר לו חיים עד שלא אמרת כבר התנבא עליך דוד אביך שנאמר (תהלים כא, ה) חיים שאל ממך נתתה לו וגו',דרש ר' עוירא ואיתימא ר' יהושע בן לוי שבעה שמות יש לו ליצה"ר הקב"ה קראו רע שנאמר (בראשית ח, כא) כי יצר לב האדם רע מנעוריו משה קראו ערל שנאמר (דברים י, טז) ומלתם את ערלת לבבכם דוד קראו טמא שנאמר (תהלים נא, יב) לב טהור ברא לי אלהים מכלל דאיכא טמא,שלמה קראו שונא שנאמר (משלי כה, כא) אם רעב שנאך האכילהו לחם ואם צמא השקהו מים כי גחלים אתה חותה על ראשו וה' ישלם לך אל תקרי ישלם לך אלא ישלימנו לך,ישעיה קראו מכשול שנאמר (ישעיהו נז, יד) סולו סולו פנו דרך הרימו מכשול מדרך עמי יחזקאל קראו אבן שנאמר (יחזקאל לו, כו) והסרתי את לב האבן מבשרכם ונתתי לכם לב בשר יואל קראו צפוני שנאמר (יואל ב, כ) ואת הצפוני ארחיק מעליכם ת"ר ואת הצפוני ארחיק מעליכם זה יצה"ר שצפון ועומד בלבו של אדם,והדחתיו אל ארץ ציה ושממה למקום שאין בני אדם מצויין להתגרות בהן את פניו אל הים הקדמוני שנתן עיניו במקדש ראשון והחריבו והרג תלמידי חכמים שבו וסופו אל הים האחרון שנתן עיניו במקדש שני והחריבו והרג תלמידי חכמים שבו ועלה באשו ותעל צחנתו שמניח אומות העולם ומתגרה בשונאיהם של ישראל כי הגדיל לעשות אמר אביי ובתלמידי חכמים יותר מכולם,כי הא דאביי שמעיה לההוא גברא דקאמר לההיא אתתא נקדים וניזיל באורחא אמר איזיל אפרשינהו מאיסורא אזל בתרייהו תלתא פרסי באגמא כי הוו פרשי מהדדי שמעינהו דקא אמרי אורחין רחיקא וצוותין בסימא,אמר אביי אי מאן דסני לי הוה לא הוה מצי לאוקומיה נפשיה אזל תלא נפשיה בעיבורא דדשא ומצטער אתא ההוא סבא תנא ליה כל הגדול מחבירו יצרו גדול הימנו,אמר רבי יצחק יצרו של אדם מתגבר עליו בכל יום שנאמר (בראשית ו, ה) רק | 52a. It is stated: b“The land will eulogize, each family separately; the family of the house of David separately, and their women separately,the family of the house of Nathan separately, and their women separately” (Zechariah 12:12). This indicates that at the end of days a great eulogy will be organized during which men and women will be separate. bThey said: And arethese bmatters notinferred ia fortiori /i? If in the future,at the end of days referred to in this prophecy, bwhenpeople bare involved ina great beulogy andconsequently bthe evil inclination does not dominate them,as typically during mourning inappropriate thoughts and conduct are less likely, and nevertheless bthe Torah says: Men separately and women separately;then bnow that they are involved inthe bCelebrationof the Drawing of the Water, bandas such bthe evil inclination dominates them,since celebration lends itself to levity, ball the more soshould men and women be separate.,Apropos the eulogy at the end of days, the Gemara asks: For bwhat is the nature of this eulogy?The Gemara answers: bRabbi Dosa and the Rabbis disagree concerning thismatter. bOne saidthat this eulogy is bfor Messiah ben Yosef who was killedin the war of Gog from the land of Magog prior to the ultimate redemption with the coming of Messiah ben David. bAnd one saidthat this eulogy is bfor the evil inclination that was killed. /b,The Gemara asks: bGranted, according to the one who saidthat the lament is for bMessiah ben Yosef who was killed, thiswould be the meaning of that bwhich is writtenin that context: b“And they shall look unto Me because they have thrust him through; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son”(Zechariah 12:10). bHowever, according to the one who saidthat the eulogy is bfor the evil inclination that was killed,does one bneed to conduct a eulogyfor bthis?On the contrary, bone should conduct a celebration. Why,then, bdid they cry? /b,The Gemara answers: This can be understood bas Rabbi Yehuda taught: In the future,at the end of days, bGod will bring the evil inclination and slaughter it in the presence of the righteous and in the presence of the wicked.For bthe righteousthe evil inclination bappears to them as a high mountain, andfor bthe wickedit bappearsto bthem asa mere bstrand of hair. These weep and those weep. The righteous weep and say: How were we able to overcome so high a mountain? And the wicked weep and say: How were we unable to overcome this strand of hair? And even the Holy One, Blessed be He, will wonder with them, as it is statedwith regard to the eulogy: b“So says the Lord of hosts: If it be wondrous in the eyes of the remt of this people in those days, it should also be wondrous in My eyes”(Zechariah 8:6).,Apropos the evil inclination and the battle against it, the Gemara cites that which bRav Asi said: Initially,when it begins to entice someone, bthe evil inclination is like a strand of a spider’s web [ ibukhya /i]; and ultimately it is likethe thick bropes of a wagon, as it is stated: “Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as if it were with a wagon rope”(Isaiah 5:18). Initially, the enticement is almost imperceptible, like a thin strand; however, after one sins, it is like wagon ropes tied tightly around him., bThe Sages taught: To Messiah ben David, who is destined to be revealed swiftly in our time, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: Ask of Me anything and I will give youwhatever you wish, bas it is stated: “I will tell of the decree;the Lord said unto me: You are My son, bthis day have I begotten you, ask of Me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance,and the ends of the earth for your possession” (Psalms 2:7–8). bOncethe Messiah ben David bsaw Messiah ben Yosef, who was killed, he saysto the Holy One, Blessed be He: bMaster of the Universe, I ask of you only life;that I will not suffer the same fate. The Holy One, Blessed be He, bsays to him: Life?Even bbefore you statedthis request, byour father, David, already prophesied about youwith regard to this matter precisely, bas it is stated: “He asked life of You, You gave it to him;even length of days for ever and ever” (Psalms 21:5).,§ bRabbi Avira, and some say Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, taught: The evil inclination has seven names. The Holy One, Blessed be He, called it evil, as it is stated: “For the inclination of a man’s heart is evil from his youth”(Genesis 8:21). bMoses called it uncircumcised, as it is stated: “And circumcise the foreskin of your hearts”(Deuteronomy 10:16). bDavid called it impure, as it is stated: “Create for me a pure heart, O God”(Psalms 51:12); bby inference, there is an impureheart that is the evil inclination., bSolomon called it enemy, as it is stated: “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord will reward you”(Proverbs 25:21–22). bDo not readit as: bAnd the Lord will reward you [ iyeshalem lakh /i]; ratherread it as: And the Lord bwill reconcile it to you [ iyashlimenu lakh /i].God will cause the evil inclination to love you and no longer seek to entice you to sin., bIsaiah called it a stumbling block, as it is stated: “And He will say: Cast you up, cast you up, clear the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of My people”(Isaiah 57:14). bEzekiel called it stone, as it is stated: “And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh”(Ezekiel 36:26). bJoel called it hidden one, as it says: “But I will remove the northern one [ ihatzefoni /i] far off from you”(Joel 2:20). bThe Sages taughtconcerning the verse: b“But I will remove the northern one [ ihatzefoni /i] far off from you,”that bthis isreferring to bthe evil inclination.And why is the evil inclination referred to as itzefoni /i? It is due to the fact bthat it is always hidden [ itzafun /i] in the heart of man. /b,The ibaraitacontinues interpreting the verse in the book of Joel. b“And will drive it to a land barren and desolate”(Joel 2:20), bwhere there are no people forthe evil inclination bto incite.And what damage does the evil inclination cause? b“With its face toward the eastern [ ihakadmoni /i] sea”(Joel 2:20), bas it set its eyes on the First[imukdam/b] bTemple and destroyed it, and killed the Torah scholars thatwere bin it; “and its end toward the western [ iha’aḥaron /i] sea”(Joel 2:20), bas it set its eyes on the Second[iaḥaron/b] bTemple and destroyed it, and killed the Torah scholars thatwere bin it; “its foulness may come up, and its ill odor may come up”(Joel 2:20), bas it forsakes the nations of the world and incites the enemies ofthe bJewish people:In this context, the term the nations is a euphemism for the Jewish people. The evil inclination seeks to corrupt the Jews more than it does the members of any other nation. b“Because it has done greatly”(Joel 2:20): bAbaye said: Andit provokes bTorah scholars more thanit provokes beveryoneelse.,The Gemara illustrates that point. It is blike thisincident, bas Abaye once heard a certain man say to a certain woman: Let us rise early and go on the road.Upon hearing this, Abaye bsaidto himself: bI will goand accompany them and bprevent them fromviolating bthe prohibitionthat they certainly intend to violate. bHe went after themfor a distance of bthree parasangs in a marshamong the reeds, while they walked on the road, and they did not engage in any wrongful activity. bWhen they were taking leave of each other, he heard that they were saying:We traveled ba long distancetogether, band the company was pleasant company. /b, bAbaye said:In that situation, bifinstead of that man bit had been one whom I hate,a euphemism for himself, bhe would not have been able to restrain himselffrom sinning. After becoming aware of so great a shortcoming bhe went and leaned against the doorpost,thinking band feeling regret. A certain Elder cameand btaught him: Anyone who is greater than another, hisevil binclination is greater than his.Therefore, Abaye should not feel regret, as his realization is a consequence of his greatness., bRabbi Yitzḥak said: A person’s inclination overcomes him each day, as it is stated: “Only /b |
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