ons the pestilence is prevalent--in the fourth
year, the seventh, and the end of the seventh, and the end of the feast of
tabernacles in every year. In the fourth year, for not giving the poor's
tithe of the third year; in the seventh, for withholding the poor's tithe
of the sixth year; and at the end of the seventh, on account of the fruits
of the Sabbatical year; and at the end of the feast of tabernacles yearly,
on account of robbing the poor of the gifts due to them.

10. There are four sorts of men: He who says, that which is mine is mine,
and that which is thine is thine, is a passable custom, and some say this
was the custom of Sodom. He who says, what is thine is mine, and what is
mine is thine, is the custom of the ignorant. He who says, what is mine is
thine, and what is thine is also thine, is the custom of the pious. He who
says, what is mine is mine, and what is thine is mine, is the custom of
the wicked.

11. There are four sorts of passionate men: He who is easily provoked and
easily pacified loses more than he gains; he whom it is difficult to
provoke and difficult to pacify gains more than he loses; he whom it is
difficult to provoke and easy to pacify is pious; but he who is easily
provoked and with difficulty pacified is wicked.

12. There are four sorts of disciples: He who is quick to hear and quick
to forget loses more than he gains; he who is slow to hear and slow to
forget gains more than he loses; he who is quick to hear and slow to
forget is wise; he who is slow to hear and quick to forget has an evil
portion.

13. There are four sorts in those who bestow charity: He who is willing to
give but does not wish that others should give, has an envious eye toward
others; he who likes to see others give but will not give, has an evil eye
toward himself; he who is willing to give and that others should also
give, acts piously; he who will not give and likes not that others should
give, acts wickedly.

14. There are four sorts in those who go to college: He who goes but does
not study, has only the reward of going; he who studies and does not go,
has the reward of action; he who goes and studies, is pious; he who
neither goes nor studies, is wicked.

15. There are four sorts in those who sit before the Sages: Those who act
as a sponge, a funnel, a strainer, and a sieve; as a sponge which sucks up
all, as a funnel which receives at one end and lets out at the other, as a
strainer which lets the win