(45) This saying did not belong originally to _Abot_, but was taken from _Makkot_, III, 16. According to Goldschmidt, it was introduced into the _Mishnah_ from the separate editions, and then found its way into the Talmudical texts of _Abot_. This verse is recited at the end of each chapter. See Rawicz, _Commentor des Maimonides_, p. 114, n. 1. (46) Isaiah, xlii, 21. CHAPTER II 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. Rabbi (1) said, "which is the right course that a man should choose for himself? (2) That which is a pride to him who pursues it and which also brings him honor from mankind. Be as scrupulous about a light precept as about a grave one, for thou knowest not the grant of reward for each precept. Reckon the loss incurred by the fulfilment of a precept against the reward secured by its observance (3), and the gain gotten by a transgression against the loss it involves. Consider three things, that thou mayest not come within the power of sin (4). Know what is above thee--a seeing eye, and a hearing ear, and all thy deeds written in a book" (5). (1) Rabbi Judah (135-220 C.E.), son of Simeon (chapter I, 18), was known as "Rabbi," as a mark of distinction, owing to the fact that he was the chief reviser and compiler of the _Mishnah_. Earlier compilers of the _Mishnah_ had been Hillel, Akiba, and R. Meir. Rabbi Judah was also known as _Rabbenu_ (our Master), _ha-Nasi_ (the Prince), and _ha-Kodesh_ (the Holy). He is said to have died[*] on the day that Akiba met his death at the hands of the Romans. See Danziger, _Jewish Forerunners of Christianity_, pp. 242-274, Myers, _Story of the Jewish People_, I, 210-222, and Strack, _Einleitung in den Talmud_, p. 96. [* a prior owner of the source text annotated it by crossing out "died" and writing in "been born".] (2) Maimonides interprets this verse as meaning to pursue a medium course between two equally bad extremes, the _too much_ and the _too little_. On this subject, see his celebrated fourth chapter of the _Shemonah Perakim_ (_The Eight Chapters_) on the "mean"; ed. Gorfinkle, p. 54, _et seq._ (3) _I.e._, the loss in this world as against the reward in the future world. On the Rabbinic idea of reward and punishment, see Schechter, _Aspects_, pp. 162-163, and Herford, _Pharisaism_, p. 267 _et seq._ (4) Cf. chapter III, 1. No deeds, great or small, are lost sight of by God.