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 Assembly.⁠a They said three things: Be patient in [the administration of] justice, raise many disciples, and make a fence around the Torah. 2 Shimon the Righteous was one of the last of the Men of the Great Assembly. He used to say: the world stands on three things: the Torah, the Temple service, and acts of piety. 3 Antigonus of Socho received [the oral tradition] from Shimon the Righteous. He used to say: do not be like servants who serve the master expecting to receive a reward, but be like servants who serve the master without expecting to receive a reward,⁠b and live in fear of Heaven. 4 Yose ben Yoezer (a man) of Zeredah and Yose ben Yohanan (a man) of Jerusalem received [the oral tradition] from them [i.e. Shimon the Righteous and Antigonus]. Yose ben Yoezer used to say: let your house be a meeting place for the Sages, and sit in the dust at their feet, and drink in their words thirstily. 5 Yose ben Yochanan (a man) of Jerusalem used to say: Let your house be wide open, and let the poor be members of your household. Do not spend too much time in conversation with women. They said this about one’s own wife, how much more [does the rule apply] to another man’s wife. From this the Sages said: when a man spends too much time in conversation with women, he brings harm on himself, he neglects the study of the Torah, and in the end he will inherit gehinnom. 6 Joshua ben Perahiah and Nittai the Arbelite received [the oral tradition] from them. Joshua ben Perahiah used to say: appoint for yourself a teacher, and find yourself a companion, and judge everyone with the scale weighted in their favor. 7 Nittai the Arbelite used to say: stay away from an evil neighbor, do not associate with the wicked, and do not abandon faith in [divine] retribution.⁠c 8 Judah ben Tabbai and Shimon ben Shetach received [the oral tradition] from them. Judah ben Tabbai said: do not [as a judge] play the part of an advocate; and when the litigants are standing before you, regard them as if they were [both] guilty; and when they leave your presence, regard them as if they were [both] innocent, once they have accepted the judgment. 9 Shimon ben Shetach used to say: question witnesses thoroughly, and be careful with your words, so that witnesses do not learn from them how to lie. 10 Shemaiah and Abtalion received [the oral tradition] from them. Shemaiah used to say: love work, hate acting superior to others, and do not try to gain access to the ruling authority.⁠d 11 Abtalion used to say: Sages, be careful with your words, so that you do not incur the penalty of exile and get carried off to a place of evil waters, where the disciples who follow you may drink and die, and the name of Heaven would then be profaned. 12 Hillel and Shammai received [the oral tradition] from them. Hillel used to say: be among Aaron’s disciples, loving peace and pursuing peace,⁠e loving humankind and drawing them close to the Torah.⁠f 13 He [also] used to say: someone who seeks a great name destroys their own name;⁠g one who does not add [to his knowledge] loses [it]; one who does not study [the Torah] deserves death; one who makes [unworthy] use of the crown [of learning] will die. 14 He [also] used to say: If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am for myself [only], what am I? And if not now, when? 15 Shammai used to say: make your [study of the] Torah a fixed practice; speak little, but do much;⁠h and welcome everyone with a friendly expression.⁠i 16 Rabban Gamaliel used to say: appoint for yourself a teacher, avoid doubt, and do not make a habit of tithing by guesswork. 17 Shimon, his son, used to say: I have grown up among the sages all my life, and I have found nothing better for a person than silence. Study is not the most important thing, but actions; whoever talks too much brings about sin. 18 Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel used to say: the world stands on three things: justice, truth, and peace, as it is said: “administer judgment with truth and peace in your gates” (Zechariah 8:16).