CHAPTER III

All Israel have a portion in the world to come, and it is said, "And
thy people shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for
ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be
glorified".

1. Akabia (1), the son of Mahalalel, said, "Consider three things, and
thou wilt not come within the power of sin (2): know whence thou
camest, and whither thou art going, and before whom thou wilt in the
future have to give an account and reckoning (3). Whence thou camest:
from a fetid drop; whether thou art going: to a place of dust, worms,
and maggots (4); and before whom thou wilt in the future have to give
an account and reckoning: before the Supreme King of kings, the Holy
One, blessed be He."

(1) He lived about the middle of the first century.

(2) Cf. chapter II, 1.

(3) Compare with this saying the exposition by Akiba of Eccl.
XII, 1: [uzechor et bor'ech (bor'ech is:
bet-vov-resh-alef-yud-chof(sofit)] "but remember thy creator."