Translation:Mishnah/Seder Nezikin/Tractate Avot/Chapter 3/1

Introduction

This Mishnah presents sayings of Akavia ben Mahalalel, who lived in the time of Hillel.

Hebrew Text

עֲקַבְיָא בֶּן מַהֲלַלְאֵל אוֹמֵר:
הִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים,
וְאֵין אַתָּה בָּא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה:

דַּע:
מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ,
וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ,
וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן.

מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ?
מִטִּפָּה סְרוּחָה.

וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ?
לִמְקוֹם עָפָר רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה.

וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן?
לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.

English Translation

Akavia ben Mahalalel said:
Keep in mind three things,
And you will not come into the hands of sin:

Know:
From where you came,
And to where you are going,
And before Whom you will have to give an account and a reckoning.

From where did you come?
From a putrid drop.

And to where are you going?
To a place of dust, worms, and maggots.

And before Whom will you have to give an account and a reckoning?
Before the King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He.

Explanation

For commentary on Mishnah Avot 3:1, see, for example:

• The Maharal
• Rabbi Yanki Tauber