Shimon his son says: All my days I grew up among the Sages, and I did not find [some- thing as] good for a person other than silence. And study is not the main [objective], rather action [is]. And whoever talks excessively brings sin.

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: The world stands on three things: upon justice, upon truth, and upon peace, as it is stated: Judge [with] truth, justice [and] peace in your gates.

Rebbi says: Which is the proper path that a person should choose for himself? Whatever [path] is a benefit to himself and earns him the praise of fellow men. Be as scrupulous in performing a “minor” mitzvah as in a “major” one, for you do not know the reward given for the [respective] mitzvos. Calculate the cost of a mitzvah against its reward, and the reward of a sin against its cost. Consider three things, and you will not come into the grip of sin: Know what is above you: a watchful Eye, an attentive Ear, and all your deeds are recorded in a Book.

Rabban Gamliel, the son of R' Yehudah HaNasi, says: Torah study is good together with an occupation, for exertion of them both makes sin forgotten. All Torah study that is not joined with work will cease in the end, and lead to sin. All who exert themselves for the community should exert themselves for the sake of Heaven, for the merit of the [community's] forefathers aids them, and their righteousness will endure forever. Nevertheless, as for you, I [God] will bestow great reward upon you, as if you had accomplished it on your own.

Beware of rulers, for they befriend someone only for their own benefit; they appear as friends when it benefits them, but do not stand by someone in his time of need.

He used to say: Treat His will as if it were your own will, so that He will treat your will as if it were His will. Nullify your will in the face of His will, so that He will nullify the will of others in the face of your will. Hillel says: Do not separate yourself from the community. Do not believe in yourself until the day you die. Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place. Do not make a statement that cannot be easily understood, [assuming] that it will be understood eventually. And do not say, “When I am free I will study,” for perhaps you will not become free.

He used to say: A boor cannot be fearful of sin; an unlearned person cannot be scrupulously pious; a bashful person cannot learn; and a short-tempered person cannot teach; nor can everyone who is exces- sively occupied in business become a schol-ar; and in a place where there are no leaders, strive to be a leader.

He also saw a skull floating on the water. He said to it: “Because you caused [the heads of] others to float, [others] caused [your head] to float; and eventually those who caused you to float will be caused to float themselves.”

He used to say: The more flesh, the more worms; the more possessions, the more worry; the more wives, the more witchcraft; the more maidservants, the more lewdness; the more menservants, the more thievery. [However,] the more Torah, the more life; the more students, the more wisdom; the more counsel, the more understanding; the more charity, the more peace. One who has gained a good reputation has gained it for his own benefit. One who has gained himself Torah knowledge has gained himself the life of the World to Come.

Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai received [the tradition] from Hillel and Shammai. He used to say: If you have studied much To-rah, do not take credit for yourself, because that is [the purpose] for which you were created. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai had five disciples. They were: R' Eliezer ben Hyrkanos, R' Yehoshua ben Chananiah, R' Yose the Kohen, R' Shimon ben Nesanel, and R' Elazar ben Arach. He used to enumerate their praises: R' Eliezer ben Hyrkanos is [like] a cemented cistern that does not lose a drop. R' Yehoshua ben Chananiah: fortunate is she who bore him. R' Yose the Kohen is a scrupulously pious person. R' Shimon ben Nesanel fears sin. And R' Elazar ben Arach is like a spring flowing stronger and stronger.  He used to say: If all the sages of Israel were on one pan of a balance scale, and Eliezer ben Hyrkanos were on the other, he would outweigh them all. Abba Shaul said in [Rabban Yochanan's] name: If all the sages of Israel with even R' Eliezer ben Hyrkanos among them were on one pan of a balance scale, and R' Elazar ben Arach on the other, he would outweigh them all.

He said to [his five disciples]: Go out and discern what is the proper path to which a man should cling. R' Eliezer says: A good eye. R' Yehoshua says: A good friend. R' Yose says: A good neighbor. R' Shimon says: One who considers the outcome [of a deed]. R' Elazar says: A good heart. He [Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai] said to them: I prefer the words of R' Elazar ben Arach to your words, for your words are included in his words.  He said to them: Go out and discern what is the evil path from which a man should distance himself. R' Eliezer says: An evil eye. R' Yehoshua says: A bad friend. R' Yose says: A bad neighbor. R' Shimon says: One who borrows and does not repay; one who borrows from man is like one who borrows from the Omni-present, as it says: The wicked one borrows and does not pay, while the Righteous One is gracious and gives. R' Elazar says: A wicked heart. He said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach to your words, for your words are included in his words.