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.

They [each] said three things. R' Eliezer says: Let your fellow's honor be as dear to you as your own, and do not anger easily; and repent one day before your death. Warm yourself opposite the fire of the sages, but beware of their glowing coal lest you be scorched, for their bite is the bite of a fox, their sting is the sting of a scorpion, their hiss is the hiss of a serpent, and all their words are like fiery coals.

'RYehoshua says: An evil eye, the evil inclination, and hatred of other people remove a person from the world.

'RYose says: Let your fellow's money be as dear to you as your own. Apply yourself to study the Torah, for it is not yours by inheritance. And let all your deeds be for the sake of Heaven.

'RShimon says: Be meticulous in reciting the Shema [and in prayer]. And when you pray, do not make your prayer fixed, rather [an entreaty for] mercy and a supplication before the Omnipresent, as it is said: For He (God) is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, and relentful of punishment.” And do not view yourself as a wicked person.

'RElazar says: Be diligent in the study of Torah, [and know] what to answer a heretic. Know before Whom you toil, and [know that] your Employer can be relied upon to pay you the wage of your labor.

'RTarfon says: The day is short, the task is abundant, the laborers are lazy, the reward is great, and the Master of the house is insistent.

He used to say: You are not required to complete the task, yet you are not free to withdraw from it. If you have studied much Torah, they give you great reward; and your Employer can be relied upon to pay you the wage of your labor. But be aware that the reward of the righteous will be given in the World to Come.

Akavia ben Mahalalel says: Consider three things and you will not come into the grip of sin: Know whence you came, whither you go, and before Whom you are destined to give judgment and accounting.  “Whence you came” —- from a putrid drop; “whither you go” —- to a place of dust, worms, and maggots; and “before Whom you are destined to give judgment and ac-counting” —- before the King Who reigns over kings, the Holy One, Blessed is He.

Rabbi Chanina, the Deputy Kohen [Gadol], says: Pray for the welfare of the government, because if people did not fear it, a person would swallow his fellow alive.  Rabbi Chanania ben Tradyon says: [When] two people are sitting [together] and there are no words of Torah between them, this is a session of scorners, as it is stated: In the session of scorners he did not sit. But two who are sitting [together] and there are words of Torah between them, the Divine Presence dwells between them, as it is stated: Then those who fear Hashem spoke to each other, and Hashem listened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear Hashem and give thought to His Name. I only know two. From where [do we know] that even one person who sits and occupies himself with Torah, that the Holy One, Blessed is He, determines a reward for him? as it is stated: Let one sit in solitude and whisper, for he has taken [a reward] for it.

Rabbi Shimon says: [If] three people ate at the same table and did not speak words of Torah upon it, it is as if they ate from offerings of the dead, as it is stated: For all tables are full of vomit [and] filth, without the Omnipresent. But three who ate at the same table and spoke words of Torah upon it, it is as if they ate from the table of the Omnipresent, Blessed is He, as it is stated: And [the angel] said to me, “This is the table that is before Hashem.”

'RChanina ben Chachinai says: One who stays awake at night or who travels on the road alone or who turns his heart to idle-ness, he bears guilt for his soul.

'RNechunia ben Hakanah says: Anyone who accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah [then] the yoke of government and the yoke of worldly responsibilities are removed from him. And anyone who throws off the yoke of Torah [then] the yoke of gov-ernment and the yoke of worldly responsibilities are placed upon him.

'RChalafta ben Dosa, leader of Kfar Chananiah, says: [When] ten people are sitting [together] and engage in Torah study, the Divine Presence dwells among them, as it is stated: God stands in the Divine congregation.  And from where [do we know] even five? As it is stated: And He has founded His group upon the earth.  And from where [do we know] even three? As it is stated: In the midst of judges He shall judge.  And from where [do we know] even two? As it is stated: Then those who fear Hashem spoke to each other, and Hashem listened and heard, etc.  And from where [do we know] even one? As it is stated: Wherever I cause My Name to be mentioned I shall come to you and bless you.

'RElazar, leader of Bartosa, says: Give Him from His own, for you and your possessions are His. And similarly David says: For everything is from You, and from Your hand we have given to You.  Rabbi Yaakov says: One who is traveling upon the road while studying [a Torah lesson] and stops his study and exclaims: “How beautiful is this tree!” [or] “How beautiful is this furrow!,” Scripture considers it as if he bears guilt for his soul.