Translation:Mishnah/Seder Nezikin/Tractate Avot/Chapter 5/8

Introduction

This and the following Mishnah list seven punishments that result from sin.

Hebrew Text

שִׁבְעָה מִינֵי פֻרְעָנִיּוֹת בָּאִין לָעוֹלָם עַל שִׁבְעָה גוּפֵי עֲבֵרָה:


מִקְצָתָן מְעַשְּׂרִין וּמִקְצָתָן אֵינָן מְעַשְּׂרִין,
רָעָב שֶׁל בַּצֹּרֶת בָּה,
מִקְצָתָן רְעֵבִים וּמִקְצָתָן שְׂבֵעִים.

גָּמְרוּ שֶׁלֹּא לְעַשֵּׂר,
רָעָב שֶׁל מְהוּמָה וְשֶׁל בַּצֹּרֶת בָּה.

וְשֶׁלֹּא לִטּוֹל אֶת הַחַלָּה,
רָעָב שֶׁל כְּלָיָה בָּה.


דֶּבֶר בָּא לָעוֹלָם
עַל מִיתוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה
שֶׁלֹּא נִמְסְרוּ לְבֵית דִּין;

וְעַל פֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית.


חֶרֶב בָּאָה לָעוֹלָם
עַל עִנּוּי הַדִּין,
וְעַל עִוּוּת הַדִּין,
וְעַל הַמּוֹרִים בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא כַהֲלָכָה.

English Translation

Seven kinds of punishment come to the world for seven categories of sin:

[When] some of [the people] give tithes, and others do not give tithes,
A famine from drought comes,
And some go hungry, and others have plenty.

[When] they all decide not to give tithes,
A famine from tumult and drought comes.

[And when they decide, in addition,] not to set apart the dough [offering],
A famine of annihilation comes.


Pestilence comes to the world
For [sins] the death penalties [for which are] set forth in the Torah
That are not in the hands of a [human] court [to carry out];

And for [violation of the laws governing] the produce of the Sabbatical year.


[The] sword comes to the world
For the delay of justice,
And for the perversion of justice,
And because of those who interpret the Torah counter to the accepted law.

Explanation

For commentary on Avot 5:8, see, for example:

• Rabbi Menachem Schneerson
• Rabbi Dovid Rosenfeld