Having gone some way, they sat down in a field and prayed. A fiery cloud came down and surrounded them. Said R. Simeon: ‘We see that God’s favour is in this place, so let us stay here’. They therefore sat down and discoursed on the Torah. R. Simeon quoted the text: “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country” (Prov. 25, 25).
King Solomon’, he said, ‘composed three books corresponding to three supernal attributes-the Song of Songs to Wisdom, Ecclesiastes to Understanding, and Proverbs to Knowledge. Why does Proverbs correspond to Knowledge? Because all its verses are in parallel form, one half balancing the other, and when we examine them we find that they can be placed in either order.
As they were sitting a man came up and told them that the wife of R. Simeon had recovered from her illness; and at the same time the Companions heard a voice saying that God had forgiven the transgressions of the generation. Said R. Simeon: ‘This is a fulfilment of the verse about “a good report from a distant country”; it is as refreshing to the spirit as cool waters to a thirsty soul.’ He then said: ‘Let us rise and pursue our way, since God is performing miracles for us.’
He then continued his exposition, saying: ‘The “cold waters” mentioned here refer to the Torah, since he who studies the Torah and sates his soul with it will hear “a good report from a distant land”, to wit, the promise of many good things in this world and the next from God, who was at first far from him, and also from the place where men were previously at enmity with him, from that place greeting of peace shall be given to him.’
עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי, יָתְבוּ בְּחַד חֲקַל, וְצַלּוּ. נָחַת חַד עֲנָנָא דְּאֶשָּׁא, וְאַסְחַר לוֹן. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, הָא חֲמֵינָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רְעוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ הָכָא. נֵיתִיב. יָתְבוּ וַהֲווּ אַמְרֵי מִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (משלי כ״ה:כ״ה) מַיִם קָרִים עַל נֶפֶשׁ עֲיֵפָה וּשְׁמוּעָה טוֹבָה מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחָק, הָא אִסְתַּכַּלְנָא בְּמִלּוֹי דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, וְכֻלְּהוּ (ס"א בחכמתא) בְּחָכְמָה אַמָרָן.
Having gone some way, they sat down in a field and prayed. A fiery cloud came down and surrounded them. Said R. Simeon: ‘We see that God’s favour is in this place, so let us stay here’. They therefore sat down and discoursed on the Torah. R. Simeon quoted the text: “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country” (Prov. 25, 25).
תָּא חֲזֵי ג' סִפְרִין דְּחָכְמְתָא אַפִּיק שְׁלֹמֹה לְעָלְמָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ בְּחָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה. שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים חָכְמָה, קֹהֶלֶת תְּבוּנָה, וּמִשְׁלֵי דַּעַת. לָקֳבֵל ג' אִלֵּין, עֲבַד ג' סְפָרִים. שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים כְּנֶגֶד חָכְמָה הָכֵי הוּא. קֹהֶלֶת לְקָבֵל תְּבוּנָה, הָכֵי הוּא. מִשְׁלֵי לְקָבֵל דַעַת. בְּמָאי אִתְחֲזֵי. אֶלָּא כָל אִינּוּן קְרַאֵי בִּתְרֵי גְּוָונֵי אִינּוּן, רֵישָׁא וְסֵיפָא תְּרֵי גְּוָונֵי אִתְחַזְיָיא. וְכַד מִסְתַּכְּלֵי קְרַאֵי, דָא כְּלִיל בְּדָא, וְדָא כְּלִיל בְּדָא, בְּגִין כָּךְ שָׁקִיל לָקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּדַעַת.
King Solomon’, he said, ‘composed three books corresponding to three supernal attributes-the Song of Songs to Wisdom, Ecclesiastes to Understanding, and Proverbs to Knowledge. Why does Proverbs correspond to Knowledge? Because all its verses are in parallel form, one half balancing the other, and when we examine them we find that they can be placed in either order.
הַאי קְרָא לָאו רֵישֵׁיהּ סֵיפֵיהּ וְלָאו סֵיפֵיהּ רֵישֵׁיהּ. וְכַד אִסְתַּכַּלְנָא בֵּיהּ, כֹּלָּא כָּלִיל חַד בְּחַד, בֵּין מִסֵיפֵיהּ לְרֵישֵׁיהּ, בֵּין מֵרֵישֵׁיהּ לְסֵיפֵיהּ. שְׁמוּעָה טוֹבָה מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחָק מַיִם קָרִים עַל נֶפֶשׁ עֲיֵפָה. מַיִם קָרִים עַל נֶפֶשׁ עֲיֵפָה וּשְׁמוּעָה טוֹבָה מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחָק, וְדָא וְדָא נַיְיחָא דְּרוּחָא, כְּמָה דְּהַאי נַיְיחָא דְּרוּחָא, כַּךְ הַאי נַיְיחָא דְּרוּחָא.
Thus here we have two things, “cold waters” and a “good report”, either of which may be compared to the other as a source of comfort and refreshment.’
עַד דַּהֲווֹ יַתְבֵי, אָתָא חַד בַּר נָשׁ, אָמַר, אִנְתּוּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אַתְּסִיאַת מִמַּרְעָהָא. וְחַבְרַיָּיא שָׁמְעוּ קָלָא, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁבַק לְאִינּוּן חוֹבֵי דְּדָרָא. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, הָא אִתְקַיָּים הָכָא קְרָא, וּשְׁמוּעָה טוֹבָה מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחָק, הָכִי הוּא נַיְיחָא דְּרוּחָא, כְּמוֹ מַיִם קָרִים עַל נֶפֶשׁ עֲיֵפָה. אָמַר לְהוּ נְקוּם וְנֵזִיל דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַרְחִישׁ לָן בְּנִסִּין.
As they were sitting a man came up and told them that the wife of R. Simeon had recovered from her illness; and at the same time the Companions heard a voice saying that God had forgiven the transgressions of the generation. Said R. Simeon: ‘This is a fulfilment of the verse about “a good report from a distant country”; it is as refreshing to the spirit as cool waters to a thirsty soul.’ He then said: ‘Let us rise and pursue our way, since God is performing miracles for us.’
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, מַיִם קָרִים עַל נֶפֶשׁ עֲיֵפָה, דָּא אוֹרַיְיתָא. דְּכָל מַאן דְּזָכֵי לְמִלְעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּמְרַוִי נַפְשָׁא מִנָּהּ, מַה כְּתִיב וּשְׁמוּעָה טוֹבָה מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחָק. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַכְרִיז עָלֵיהּ כַּמָה טָבָאן לְאוֹטָבָא לֵיהּ בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וּשְׁמוּעָה טוֹבָה, מַאן אֲתַר מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחָק, מֵאֲתַר דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה רָחִיק מִנֵּיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, מֵאֲתַר דְּהֲוָה בַּר נָשׁ בִּדְבָבוּ עִמֵּיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (איוב כ׳:כ״ז) וְאֶרֶץ מִתְקוֹמָמָה לוֹ, מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר מַקְדִּימִין לֵיהּ שְׁלָם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחָק. וּכְתִיב (ירמיהו ל״א:ג׳) מֵרָחוֹק יְיָ' נִרְאָה לִי וְאַהֲבַת עוֹלָם אַהֲבְתִּיךְ עַל כֵּן מְשַׁכְתִּיךְ חָסֶד.
He then continued his exposition, saying: ‘The “cold waters” mentioned here refer to the Torah, since he who studies the Torah and sates his soul with it will hear “a good report from a distant land”, to wit, the promise of many good things in this world and the next from God, who was at first far from him, and also from the place where men were previously at enmity with him, from that place greeting of peace shall be given to him.’