loving-kindness, and repenteth him of the evil' (45); and be not
wicked in thine own esteem" (46). 19. R. Eleazar said, "Be diligent
in studying _Torah_, and know what answer to give to the unbeliever
(47); know also before whom thou toilest, and who thy Employer is, who
will pay thee the reward of thy labor."

(37) Cf. chapter IV, 15.

(38) Man should repent every day of his life, for he knows not
on what day he may die (_Shabbat_, 153a).

(39) One who wishes to warm himself remains a certain distance
away from the fire; if he approaches too near, he is burned;
so, do not endeavor to become too intimate with the wise, as
their opinion of you may change to your detriment. The
"bite," the "sting," and the "hiss" represent the terribleness
of the looks of the wise who have been angered.

(40) Passion, evil nature, or evil inclination.

(41) Misanthropy.

(42) In making man's highest ideal the comprehension of God,
Maimonides, in the _Shemonah Perakim_, supports his view by
referring to the latter part of this verse. He says, "The
sages of blessed memory, too, have summed up this idea in so
few words and so concisely, at the same time elucidating the
whole matter with such complete thoroughness, that when one
considers the brevity with which they express this great and
mighty thought in its entirety, about which others have