Mishnah 7 - Chapter 5 - Pirkei Avot

Shiv'ah devarim baggolem veshiv'ah bechacham. Chacham eino medabber bifnei mi shehu gadol mimmennu bechochmah uveminyan, ve'eino nichnas letoch divrei chavero, ve'eino nivhal lehashiv, sho'el ka'inyan umeshiv kahalachah, ve'omer al rishon rishon ve'al acharon acharon, ve'al mah shello shama', omer lo shama'ti, umodeh al ha'emet. Vechillufeihen baggolem.

[There are] seven things [characteristic] in a clod, and seven in a wise man:A wise man does not speak before one who is greater than he in wisdom, And does not break into his fellow’s speech; And is not hasty to answer; He asks what is relevant, and he answers to the point; And he speaks of the first [point] first, and of the last [point] last; And concerning that which he has not heard, he says: I have not heard; And he acknowledges the truth. And the reverse of these [are characteristic] in a clod.

Seven things characterize a golam, [from "golmei kelim," "unfinished vessels." So, a man who is not "finished" in mind, middoth, or wisdom is called a "golam."], and seven characterize a sage: A sage does not speak in the presence of one who is greater than he in wisdom. [For thus do we find with Elazar and Itamar (Leviticus 10:16-19), who declined to speak in the presence of their father (Aaron) when Moses became angry with them, and Aaron answered], and he does not interrupt the words of his neighbor, [so as not to confuse him, viz. (Bamidbar 12:6): "Hear, now, My words," i.e., Wait until I (the L rd) have finished speaking — a fortiori for a man (who can be confused)], and he is not hasty to answer, so that his answer be appropriate, as in the instance of Elihu, who said (Iyyov 36:2): "Wait for me awhile and I will tell you."], he asks on the subject and he answers according to the halachah. [This is one of the seven. The disciple asks on the subject, i.e., the subject that is being discussed, and then the Rabbi answers according to the halachah. But if the disciple does not ask on the subject, he brings the Rabbi to answer not according to the halachah, as R. Chiyya says to Rav: "When Rabbi is occupied with this tractate, do not ask him from a different tractate," and as in the instance of those men, who being unclean by reason of (contact with) a dead body, and seeing Moses occupied with the halachoth of the Pesach offering, asked him (the halachah) on that subject.], and he answers the first (question) first, and the last, last, [as we find with the Holy One Blessed be He, whom Moses asked (Exodus 3:11): "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should take the children of Israel out of Egypt?", who answered the first question (Ibid. 12): "For I shall be with you," and the second (Ibid.): "When you take the people out of Egypt, you shall serve G-d, etc."], and of what he has not heard, he says "I have not heard it." [If he renders a ruling on his own, he does not say "Thus have I heard from my Rabbis." And we find with the men of Charan, that when Jacob asked them (Genesis 29:6): "Is he (Lavan) well?" they said to him: "(He is) well, and, behold, Rachel his daughter is coming with the flock." This (that he is well) we know. And if you would know more, behold his daughter is coming with the flock," and she will tell you; for we do not know more than this.], and he admits the truth, [even though he can argue for his view. And thus do we find with Moses (Leviticus 10:19) when Aaron refuted him, saying [If you have heard (from the L rd) that this (such eating) is permitted with kodshim for a particular occasion (the investiture), this is no license for permitting it in "ongoing" kodshim (such as the Rosh Chodesh goat). (Ibid. 20): "And Moses heard and it was good in his eyes." He admitted (that he had heard this from the L rd but had forgotten instead of "covering up" (by saying that he had not heard)]. And their converse, with the golam. [The opposite of these things that characterize a sage characterize a golam.]