into the world for the delay of justice, and for the perversion of
justice, and on account of the offence of those who interpret the
_Torah_, not according to its true sense. Noxious beasts come into
the world for vain swearing, and for the profanation of the Divine
Name. Captivity comes into the world on account of idolatry,
immortality, bloodshed, and the neglect of the year of rest for the
soil. 12. At four periods pestilence grows apace: in the fourth year,
in the seventh, at the conclusion of the seventh year, and at the
conclusion of the Feast of Tabernacles in each year: in the fourth
year, for default of giving the tithe to the poor in the third year;
in the seventh year, for default of giving the title to the poor in
the sixth year; at the conclusion of the seventh year, for the
violation of the law regarding the fruits of the seventh year, and at
the conclusion of the Feast of Tabernacles in each year, for robbing
the poor of the grants legally assigned to them.

13. There are four characters among men: he who says, "What is mine is
mine and what is thine is thine," his is a neutral character; some
say, "This is a character like that of Sodom"; he who says, "What is
mine is thine and what is thine is mine," is a boor; he who says,
"What is mine is thine and what is thine is thine," is a saint; he who
says, "What is thine is mine and what is mine is mine," is a wicked
man. 14. There are four kinds of tempers: he whom it is easy to
provoke and easy to pacify, his loss disappears in his gain; he whom
it is hard to provoke and hard to pacify, his gain disappears in his
loss; he whom it is hard to provoke and easy to pacify is a saint; he
whom it is easy to provoke and hard to pacify is a wicked man. 15.
There are four qualities in disciples: he who quickly understands and
quickly forgets, his gain disappears in his loss; he who understands
with difficulty and forgets with difficulty, his loss disappears in