Translation:Mishnah/Seder Nezikin/Tractate Avot/Chapter 1/17

Introduction

This Mishnah presents sayings of Shimon ben Gamliel (circa 10 BCE–70 CE), who succeeded his father Gamliel (introduced in Mishnah 16) as the Nasi of the Sanhedrin after his father's death in 50 CE and just before the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

Hebrew Text

שִׁמְעוֹן בְּנוֹ אוֹמֵר:
כָּל יָמַי, גָּדַלְתִּי בֵין הַחֲכָמִים,
וְלֹא מָצָאתִי לַגּוּף טוֹב אֶלָּא שְׁתִיקָה.
וְלֹא הַמִּדְרָשׁ הוּא הָעִקָּר, אֶלָּא הַמַּעֲשֶׂה.
וְכָל הַמַּרְבֶּה דְבָרִים, מֵבִיא חֵטְא.

English Translation

Shimon, his son, used to say:
All my days, I grew up among the Sages,
And I found nothing better for a person than silence.
And studying [the Torah] is not the most important thing, but doing [it is].
And whoever talks too much brings about sin.

Explanation

For commentary on Mishnah 1:17, see, for example:

• The Maharal
• Rabbi Menachem Schneerson
• Rabbi Michoel Gourarie