Pirke Avot 1

1. Moses received the Torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the men of the Great Synagogue. The latter used to say three things: “Be patient in justice, rear many disciples, and make a fence around the Torah.”

2. Simeon the Righteous was one of the last of the men of the Great Synagogue. He used to say: “The world is based upon three things: the Torah, divine service, and the practice of kindliness.”

3. Antigonus of Socho received [the oral tradition] from Simeon the Righteous. He used to say: “Don’t be like those servants who serve their master in the expectation of receiving a reward; rather, be like those servants who serve their master without the expectation of receiving a reward. And let the fear of heaven be upon you.”

4. Yose b. Yo'ezer of Zeredah and Yose b. Yohanan of Jerusalem received [the oral tradition] from them. Yose. b. Yo'ezer used to say: "Let your house be a house of meeting for the sages, and let yourself be covered by the dust of their feet, and drink in their words with thirst."

5. Yose b. Yohanan of Jerusalem used to say: "Let your house be wide open, and let the poor be members of your household, and do not engage in too much conversation with women. If they say this with regard to one's own wife, then how much more does it apply to another man's wife! Thus the sages said: ‘As long as a man engages in too much conversation with women, he causes evil to himself; he goes idle from [the study of] the words of the Torah, so that his end will be that he will inherit Gehenna.’”

6. Joshua b. Perahiah and Nittai the Arbelite received [the oral tradition] from them. Joshua b. Perahiah used to say: "Appoint a teacher for yourself, and acquire a companion for yourself, and judge all men in the scale of merit."

7. Nittai the Arbelite used to say: "Stay away from an evil neighbor, do not become an associate of a wicked man, and do not abandon faith in [divine] retribution."

8. Judah b. Tabbai and Simeon b. Shetah received [the oral tradition] from them. Judah b. Tabbai used to say: “Do not play the part of an advocate [while acting as a judge]. When they [i.e. the parties in a lawsuit] stand before your, you should regard them as if they were [both] guilty, and when they leave your presence, after submitting to your judgment, you should regard them as if they were [both] free of guilt.”

9. Simeon b. Shetah used to say: “Be thorough in the interrogation of witnesses, and be careful in your words, lest they learn from them to utter lies.”

10. Shemaiah and Abtalion received [the oral tradition] from them. Shemaiah used to say: "Love work, hate acting superior, and do not bring yourself to the attention of the ruling authorities."

11. Abtalion used to say: “You sages should be careful with your words, lest you be condemned to Exile, and you are exiled to a place of evil waters, and the disciples who follow you drink of it and die--with the result that the name of heaven becomes profaned.”

12. Hillel and Shammai received [the oral tradition] from them. Hillel used to say: "Be disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace. Be one who loves [one's fellow] creatures and who brings them closer to the Torah."

13. He used to say: "A name that is widespread loses its fame. One who does not add [to his knowledge] causes [it] to cease. Whoever does not study deserves death; whoever makes [unworthy] use of the crown [of learning] passes away."

14. He used to say: “If I am not for myself, who is for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, then when?”

15. Shammai used to say: "Make your [study of the] Torah [a matter of] established [regularity]. Speak little, but do much. And receive all men with a pleasant countenance."

16. Rabban Gamaliel used to say: "Appoint a teacher for yourself, and avoid doubt, and do not make a habit of tithing by guesswork."

17. His son Simeon used to say: “All my days I grew up among the sages, and I have found nothing better for a person than silence. Study is not the most important thing, but rather deeds. Thoever indulges in too many words brings about sin.”

18. Rabban Simeon, son of Gamaliel used to say: “On three things does the world stand: On justice, on truth and on peace--as it is said: ‘Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgements that are true and make for peace’ (Zech 8:16).”