R. Simeon was one day together with R. Hiya at the gate of Lud, when a young boy approached them. Said R. Simeon: ‘Verily, the Holy One, blessed be He, will in a few days embroil the kings of the earth with one another, in order that while they fight, Israel may have a period of repose.’
And the young boy remarked: ‘This conflict has already begun, and much blood is being shed in the world.’ Said R. Hiya: ‘How does this young boy know this?’ R. Simeon replied: ‘Prophecy at times is lodged in the mouths of children, so that they prophesy even more than the prophets of old.’
And the boy said: ‘Why do you marvel that children have the spirit of prophecy, seeing that this is clearly foreshadowed in the Scriptures? It is written: “And all thy children shall be taught by the Lord.” And, truly, when they are taught by the Lord they prophesy. Of all peoples it is only Israel of whose children it says that they shall be taught by the Lord, therefore out of them prophecy comes forth. ‘ Hearing this, R. Simeon came up to the boy and kissed him, saying: ‘I have never heard this idea till now.’
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ יוֹמָא חַד גַּבֵּי פִּתְחָא דְלוּד, וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּהֲדֵיהּ, פָּגַע בֵּיהּ חַד יַנוּקָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וַדַּאי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי (נ"א אתער) בְּעָלְמָא הַשְׁתָּא לְיוֹמִין זְעִירִין, גִּלְגּוּלָא רַבָּא לְמַלְכֵי אַרְעָא אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין. וַדַּאי בְּעוֹד דְּאִינּוּן מְקַטְרְגִין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין, יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוֹן גּוֹ רְוָוחָא.
R. Simeon was one day together with R. Hiya at the gate of Lud, when a young boy approached them. Said R. Simeon: ‘Verily, the Holy One, blessed be He, will in a few days embroil the kings of the earth with one another, in order that while they fight, Israel may have a period of repose.’
אָמַר הַהוּא יַנוּקָא, וְהָא בְּיוֹמָא דָּא שַׁאֲרִי אִתְּעָרוּתָא דָּא, דְּהָא בְּהַאי יוֹמָא דָּמִין סַגִּיאִין אוֹשְׁדִין בְּעָלְמָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי חִיָּיא, מְנָא לֵיהּ לְהַאי יַנוּקָא. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, לְזִמְנִין נְבוּאָה נָפִיל בְּפוּם יַנוּקָן, וּמִתְנַבְּאֵי יַתִּיר מֵחַד נְבִיאָה.
And the young boy remarked: ‘This conflict has already begun, and much blood is being shed in the world.’ Said R. Hiya: ‘How does this young boy know this?’ R. Simeon replied: ‘Prophecy at times is lodged in the mouths of children, so that they prophesy even more than the prophets of old.’
אָמַר הַהוּא יַנוּקָא, וְכִי תַּוָוהָא אִיהוּ בְּיַנוּקֵי לְמֶהֱוֵי לוֹן נְבוּאָה, וְהָא קְרָא שְׁלִים אִיהוּ. מְנָלָן. דִּכְתִּיב וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְיָ'. אִינּוּן וַדַּאי לִמּוּדֵי יְיָ', וּנְבוּאָה מִנְּהוֹן נָפְקָא, מַה דְּלֵית הָכִי לְכָל עָלְמָא, אֶלָּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, דִּכְתִּיב בְּהוּ וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְיָ', וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ מִנְּהוֹן נָפְקָא נְבוּאָה. אָתָא רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ אָמַר מִיוּמָאִי לָא שְׁמַעְנָא דָּא, בַּר הַשְׁתָּא.
And the boy said: ‘Why do you marvel that children have the spirit of prophecy, seeing that this is clearly foreshadowed in the Scriptures? It is written: “And all thy children shall be taught by the Lord.” And, truly, when they are taught by the Lord they prophesy. Of all peoples it is only Israel of whose children it says that they shall be taught by the Lord, therefore out of them prophecy comes forth. ‘ Hearing this, R. Simeon came up to the boy and kissed him, saying: ‘I have never heard this idea till now.’