is: my opinion shall not turn away from, and shall not let go of, this matter. For the beginning of this passage reads:15 My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go; My heart shall not turn away \ so long as I live. In my opinion it is with reference to this meaning of yeheraph10 that the ex¬ pression shiphhah neherephet le-°ish17 [ a handmaid betrothed to a mart] is to be explained — [the term “neherephet”] being akin to an Arabic word, namely, “munharifa”18 [turned away] — that is, one who turns from being possessed as a slave to being possessed as a wife. It [heart] is also a term l. Here the Arabic word for “heart” is used. 2. II Sam. 18:14.
3. Literally: part of the body, or limb. 4. I.e., the middle. g. Deut. 4:11.
6. I.e., midst. The Hebrew word labba occurring in this verse is usually interpreted as “flame.”
13. The usual meaning of this Hebrew word is better rendered by the customary translation shall not reproach than by the one given in the text which accords with Maimonides’ interpretation occurring in the next sentence. In giving this interpretation Maimonides uses the Arabic verb inharafa which appears to derive from the same root as the Hebrew word in question ( yeheraph ) and means “to turn away,” “deviate.”
14. Job 27:6.
15. Literally: for the first of this speech. Maimonides quotes the entire verse (Job 27:6) of which he has just quoted the second part.
18. Cf. n. 13, this chap.
denoting will. Thus: And I will give you shepherds according to My heart,19 Is thy heart right as my heart is?20 — that is, is thy will like my will in rectitude? Sometimes the word is figuratively applied with this meaning: That shall do according to that which is in My heart and in My soul,21 the meaning of which is: he shall do according to My will 5 And Mine eyes and My heart shall he there perpetually22 — that is, My providence and My will. It is also a term denoting the intellect. Thus: But an empty man will act with his heart 25 meaning that he will cognize with -his intellect. And similarly: A wise man’s heart is at his right hand2*— that is, his intellect is directed toward the perfect things. This use is frequent. It is in this sense — I mean that indicative of the intellect — that the term is applied figura¬ tively to God in all the passages in question, save certain exceptional ones where it sometimes is used to indicate the will. Every passage should there¬ fore be understood according to its context.25 In this way [heart] is applied to the intellect in the verses: And lay it to thy heart;26 And none considereth in his heart-21 and all the others that are similar. In the same way Scripture says: But the Lord hath not given you a heart to know 26 in a way analogous to its saying: Unto thee it was shown that thou mightest know.29 As for the dictum of Scripture: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart50 — in my opinion its interpretation is: with all the forces of your heart 5 I mean to say, with all the forces of the body, for the principle of all of them derives from the heart. Accordingly the intended meaning is, as we have explained in the Commentary on the Mishnah 51 and in Mishneh Torah52 that you should make His apprehension the end of all your actions.
23. Job 11:12. The Hebrew text of the Bible has the verb yelabbeb, deriving from leb (heart). In the English translation of the Bible, the verb in this verse is rendered: will get understanding.
24. Eccles. 10:2. 25. Literally: every place according to itself. 26. Dent. 4:39.
31. Cf. Eight Chapters ( Shemonah Peraqim ), V. This is the introduction to Maimonides’ commentary on the tractate Aboth.
8 CHAPTER 40 Air [ ruah J1 is an equivocal term. It is a term denoting air; I mean the element that is one of | the four elements. Thus: And the air of God hovered.2 It is also a term denoting the blowing wind. Thus: And the east air 3 brought the locusts? West air.5 This use of the term is frequent. It is also a term denoting the animal spirit. Thus: An air 6 that passeth away and cometh not again;7 Wherein is the airB of life? It is also a term denoting the thing that remains of man after his death and that does not undergo passing-away.10 Thus: And the airn shall return unto God who gave it? 2 It is also a term denoting the divine intellectual overflow that overflows to the prophets and in virtue of which they prophesy, as we shall explain to you when speaking of prophecy, in the way in which it is proper to mention it in this Treatise. Thus: And I will take of the air 13 which is upon thee, and I will put it upon them?* And it came to pass that when the air rested upon them?5 The air 16 of the Lord spoke by me?7 This use of the word is frequent. It is also a term denoting purpose and will. Thus: A fool uttereth all his air?8 his purpose and will. Similarly in the verse: And the air of Egypt shall be made empty within it, and I will make void the counsel thereof?9 it says that [Egypt’s] purposes will be divided and its governance will be hidden. Similarly also in the verse: Who hath comprehended the air of the Lord, or who is familiar with His counsel that he may tell us?20 Scripture says that he who knows the ordering of His will or apprehends His governance of that which exists as it really is, should teach us about it — as we shall explain in the chapters that will deal with His governance.21 In all cases in which the term air is applied to God, it is used in the fifth sense; x. The Hebrew word ruah usually means “wind” or “spirit.” Here it is rendered by “air” because according to Maimonides this is the primary meaning of the word.
10. Corruption ( fasad ): the antithesis of generation.
11. The usual translation is “spirit.” Maimonides may mean that in this context the word signifies the intellect.
12. Eccles. 12:7. 13. The usual translation is “spirit.” 14. Num. 11:17.
15. Num. 11 125. The usual translation is “spirit.”
16. The usual translation is “spirit.”
19. Isa. 19:3.
in some of them also in the last sense, which is that of will, as we have explained. Thus the term should be interpreted in every passage according to what is indicated in the context.22 CHAPTER 41 Soul [ nephesh ] is an equivocal term. It is a term denoting the animal soul common | to every sentient being. Thus: Wherein there is a living soul. 1 And it is also a term denoting blood. Thus: Thou shalt not eat the soul 2 with the flesh? It is also a term denoting the rational soul, I mean the form of man. Thus: As the Lord liveth that made us this soul? And it is a term denoting the thing that remains of man after death. Thus: Yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life? It is also a term denoting the will. Thus: To bind his princes according to his soul,6 which means: through his will. Similarly: And deliver not Thou him unto the soul of his enemies,7 which means: Thou will not deliver him to their will. In my opinion this is similar to: If it be according to your soul to bury my dead6 which means: if it be according to your purpose and will. And similarly: Though Moses and Samuel stood before Me, yet My soul could not be toward this people,9 the meaning which is that I have no will toward them — that is, I do not wish that they endure. In all cases in which the term soul is applied to Him, may He be exalted, it has the meaning of will, as has already been set forth by us 10 with regard to the dictum of Scripture: That shall do according to that which is in My heart and in My soul11 — the meaning of which is: in My will and purpose. One should interpret according to this sense the verse: And His soul was grieved in the misery of Israel,12 which means that His will refrained from rendering Israel miserable. This verse was not trans¬ lated at all by Jonathan ben Uziel, for he took it as using the term [soul] in its first sense, thought that he had met with a case of affection being ascribed to God, and accordingly refrained from translating13 it. However, if the 22. Literally: that speech. The translation given in the text seems to be more probable than one referring the words, “that speech,” to the present chapter of The Guide of the Perplexed.
13. Literally: interpreting.
$2 The Guide of the Perplexed 1-42 [ 476 term is taken in its last sense, the interpretation of the verse is very clear. For it is preceded by the statement that the providence of God, may He be exalted, had abandoned them so that they were perishing; and they implored God for help, but He did not help them. However, when they had gone far in repentance and their wretchedness had increased and the enemy had dominated them, He took pity on them; and His will refrained from letting their misery and wretchedness continue. Know this accordingly, for it is strange. In the words of Scripture: in the misery of Israel,1* “in” is used instead of from. | It is therefore as if he said: from the misery of Israel. Many instances of this use [of “in”] have been enumerated by the linguists. Thus: And that which remaineth in15 the flesh and in16 the bread f Remains ini8 the years;19 In the stranger and in the native of the land.20 This use is frequent.
CHAPTER 42 Living [hay] is a term denoting a being that grows and is sentient. Thus: Every moving thing that liveth.1 It is also a term denoting recovery from a very severe illness. Thus: And lived2 from his illness;8 In the camp till they lived."' Similarly in the expression: A living flesh 8 Similarly death [maveth] is a term denoting both death and severe illness. Thus: And his heart died within him, and he became as a stone,6 which refers to the severity of his illness. On this account Scripture makes it clear with regard to the son of the woman ofZarephath — that his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him? For if it had said: And he died, it would have been possible to interpret this as meaning that it was a case of severe illness in which the sick individual was near death, as Nabal was, when he heard the news. Some8 of the men of Andalusia9 interpret the verse as meaning that his breath was suspended so that no breath at all could be perceived in him — as happens to people struck with apoplexy or with asphyxia deriving from the womb, so that it is not known if the one in question is dead or alive and the doubt remains a day or two. The term 14. Figuring in the verse under discussion. 15. Instead of: from.
16. Instead of: from. 17. Lev. 8:52. 18. Instead of: from. 19. Lev. 25:52.
20. Exod. 12:19. Instead of: from the stranger and from the native of the land.
4. Josh. 5:8. I.e., was recovered. 5. Lev. 13:10. I.e., flesh grown healthy.
6. I Sam. 25:37. 7. I Kings 17:17. 8. Or: one. 9. Or: of Spain (in general).
48a ] The Guide of the Perplexed I • 43 pj [living] is often used also in the sense of acquisition of knowledge. Thus: So shall they be life unto thy soul;10 For whoso findeth me findeth life;11 For they are life unto those that find them.12 This use is frequent. In accordance with it, correct opinions are called life and false opinions death. God, may He be exalted, says accordingly: See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and so on.15 He has thereby made it clear that good is life and that evil is death | and has explained these terms. I make a similar interpretation of His dictum, may He be exalted, That ye may live,1* analogous to the traditional interpretation15 of the dictum of Scripture: That it may be well with thee, and so on.16 Because of this figurative sense being generally known in the Hebrew language, the Sages have said: The righteous even in death are called living, \whereas~\ the wicked even in life are called dead.11 Know this.
CHAPTER 43 CHAPTER 43 Wing [ kartaph ] is an equivocal term, and its equivocality is mostly due to its being used in a figurative sense. The first meaning given to it is that of a wing of the living beings that fly. Thus: Any winged fowl that flieth in the heaven.1 Subsequently it was applied figuratively to the extremities and corners of garments. Thus: Upon the four wings 2 of thy covering? Afterwards it was applied figuratively to the farthest ends and extremities of the habitable part of the earth, which are remote from the places where we live.4 Thus: That it might take hold of the wings5 of the earth;5 From the uttermost wing 7 of the earth have we heard songs? Ibn Janah9 says that the term also occurs with the signification of concealing, as it is akin to the Arabic, in which one may say, “kanaftu” a thing, meaning: I have concealed it. He accordingly interprets 10 the verse, Yet shall not thy 10. Prov. 3:22. ix. Prov. 8:35. 12. Prov. 4:22.
13. Deut. 30:15. The verse continues: and death and evil. 14. Deut. 5:30.
15. tafsir, the word used here, may mean both “interpretation" and “translation.”
16. Deut. 22:7. Cf. B.T., Qiddushin, 3g, and the Aramaic translation of the verse attributed to Jonathan.
g. A grammarian and lexicographer of the eleventh century.
10. See The Book of Hebrew Roots, by Abu I-IV alid Marwan Ibn Janah, ed. Ad. Neubauer (Oxford, 1875), p. 325.
94 The Guide of the Perplexed 1-45 [ 48 b Teacher be winged11 [yikaneph ], as meaning: thy Enlightener shall not be concealed and hidden away from thee; and this is a good explanation.12 In my opinion this meaning occurs also in the verse, And he shall not uncover the wing of his father,13 which means that he shall not uncover that of his father which is concealed. Similarly the verse, Spread therefore thy wings over thy handmaid,1+ has to be interpreted in my opinion as meaning: spread that by which thou concealest over thy handmaid. In my opinion it is in this sense that wing is figuratively applied to the Creator, may He be exalted, and also to the angels. For according to our opinion the angels have no bodies, as I shall make clear.15 Accordingly the interpretation of the dictum of Scripture, Under whose wings thou art come to trust,16 should be: thou art come J to be hidden under that by which He conceals. Similarly in all cases in which wing occurs with reference to the angels, it signifies that which conceals. Will you not consider the dictum of Scripture: With twain 17 he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet?16 This means that the cause of his existence, I mean that of the angel, is most hidden and concealed, that cause being indicated by the expression his face.
And similarly the things of which he, I mean the angel, is the cause — these being his feet, as we have made clear19 when dealing with the equivocality of the word foot — are also hidden. For the acts of the intellects are hidden, and their effects become clear only after one has trained oneself. This is due to two causes, one of which should be referred to them and one to us.20 I mean the weakness of our apprehension and the difficulty of apprehending, in its true reality, that which is separate from matter. As for the dictum of Scripture, And with twain he did fly,21 1 shall explain in a separate chapter22 in what sense the motion of flying is attributed to the angels.
ix. Isa. 30:20. 12. Or: translation. For tafsir, see n. ig, preceding chap.
16. Ruth 2:12. The complete verse reads: The Lord recompense thy work and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
20. Literally: from their direction and from our direction.
CHAPTER 44 Eye [payin'] is an equivocal term. It is a term denoting a well1 of water.
I Thus: By an eye 2 of water in the wilderness.3 It is also a term denoting the seeing eye. Thus: Eye for eye.* It is further a term denoting providence.5 Thus Scripture says with regard to Jeremiah:6 Take him and have 7 thy eyes on him;8 the meaning of which is: direct thy watchfulness to him. It is in the figurative sense that the term is used of God in every passage in ques¬ tion. Thus: And Mine eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually,9 which means My providence and My purpose, as we have set forth before;10 The eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it,11 which means that His providence is upon it; Which are the eyes of the Lord that run to and fro 12 which means that His providence extends also to everything that is on earth, as shall be mentioned in the chapters dealing with providence that will come later on.13 When, however, the word seeing or beholding, is joined with the word “eyes” — as for instance in the verses: Open Thine two eyes...and see,14 and Mis eyes behold15 — it is | intellectual apprehension that is meant in all these cases, and not sensory apprehension. For all sensation is, as you know, an affection and a state in which impressions are received, whereas He, may He be exalted, is active and not passive,16 as I shall ex¬ plain later on.
l. Maimonides here uses the Arabic word cayn, which, like the Hebrew cayin, means both an eye and a well of water.
5. The term Hnayah used here also means “watchfulness.”
6. The words are spoken by Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Chaldees, and are addressed to Nebuzaradan, who served him.
12. Zech. 4:10. The quotation as given by Maimonides is slightly inaccurate.
13. In Part III.
14. II Kings 19:16. The quotation as given by Maimonides is slightly inaccurate.
15. Ps. 11:4.
1 6. The word munfaHl used here in the Arabic text is a passive participle of the ver hfacala: to do, to act. inficdl, which is the verbal noun of munfaHl, has been rendered in this translation by the term “affection.”
CHAPTER 45 To hear [sAamoca] is an equivocal word. It is used sometimes as having the meaning, to hear,1 and sometimes as having the meaning, to accept. As for the meaning, to hear, it is found in the verses: Neither let it be heard out of thy mouth? And the report thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house? This use is frequent. Of a like frequency is use of to hear with the meaning, to accept. Thus: And they heard * not Moses? If they hear 6 and serve? Shall we then hear 8 you?® And shall not hear'® thy words.11 The word is also used in the sense of science and knowledge. Thus: A nation whose tongue thou shalt not hear?2 the interpretation being, whose speech you shall not know. In all cases in which the word hearing occurs in relation to God and in which, according to the external meaning of the text, the word appears to be used in its first sense, it expresses the notion of apprehension, which pertains to the third sense. Thus: And the Lord heard?3 For that He hath heard your murmurings.1* In all these passages the apprehension of science is meant. If, however, according to the external meaning of the text, the word is used in its second sense, it expresses the notion that God, may He be exalted, responds, or does not respond, to the prayer of him who prays. Thus: I will surely hear his cry?5 I will hear, for I am gracious?6 Incline Thine ear, O Lord, and hear?1 But the Lord would not hear your voice, nor give ear unto you?8 Yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear?® For I will not hear thee 20 This use is frequent. As for these figurative senses and similes, you will be given an explanation that will quench your thirst and clear your doubt. The meanings of all of them will be made manifest to you, so that no difficulty will remain in any¬ thing that is in them. | i. Maimonides here uses the Arabic word. a. Exod. 23:13.
CHAPTER 46 We have mentioned in one1 of the chapters of this Treatise2 that there is an immense difference between guidance leading to a knowledge of the existence of a thing and an investigation of the true reality of the essence and substance of that thing. The reason is that guidance leading to the knowledge of the existence of a thing can be had even if that should be through the accidents of the thing or through its acts or through a relation — which may be very remote from the thing — existing between the latter and things other than itself. For instance, if you wish to make known the ruler of a certain region of the earth to one of the people of that ruler’s country, who does not know him, you can inform him about that ruler and draw his attention to the latter’s existence in many different ways. One of them consists in your saying that the ruler is a tall individual who is white in color and gray-haired. Thus you would make him known through his accidents. You may also say that he is the one whom you see surrounded by a great company of people, who are riding or on foot, with drawn swords around him and banners raised above his head, while trumpets are sounded in front of him; or that he is the one residing in a castle, that is in a certain city of that region of the earth; or that he is the one who ordered this wall to be built or this bridge to be laid; or you may mention similar actions of his and similar relations of his to what is other than he. You may, however, indicate his existence through circumstances that are of a more hidden nature than those that have been mentioned. For instance, if someone asks you, Has this country a ruler? you shall answer him, Yes, undoubtedly. And if he asks you, What proof is there for this? you shall tell him, This proof is to be found in the fact that while this money-changer is, as you see, a weak and small man and this great amount of dinars is placed before him, this other big, strong, and poor individual is standing in front of him | and asking him to give him as alms a carob-grain and that the money¬ changer does not do this, but reprimands him and drives him off by means of words. For, but for his fear of the ruler, the poor man would have been quick to kill him or to drive him away and to take the wealth that is in his possession. Accordingly, this is a proof of the fact that this city has a king. Thus you would have proved the existence of the king through the fact 2. Cf. I 53.
1. Or: in some.
that matters in the city proceed in an orderly fashion,3 the cause of which is the fear of the ruler and the anticipation of the punishment he metes out.