Img. ID: 515
  Ancient Art  

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1. דכירין לטב יוסה ועזרון וחיזקיו בנוה דחלפי 2. כל מן דיהיב פלגו בן גבר לחבריה הי אמר 3. לשן ביש על חבריה לעממיה הי גניב 4. צבותיה דחבריה הי מן דגלי רזה דקרתה 5. לעממיה דין דעינוה משוטטן בכל ארעה 6. וחמי סתירתה הוא יתן אפוא בגברה 7. ההו ובזרעוה ויעקור יתיה מן תחות שומיה 8. וימרון כל עמה אמן ואמן סלה The inscription was found in the mosaic pavement of the western aisle, and is the third (from the north) of five inscriptions. The inscription is written in Aramaic script in eight lines. According to Naveh the inscription reads as follows: The following translation is according to Levine: "1. May they be remembered for good: Yose and `Ezron and Hizziqiyu the sons of Hilfi 2. Anyone causing a controversy between a man and his friend, or whoever 3. slanders his friend before the Gentiles, or whoever steals 4. the property of his friend, or whoever reveals the secret of the town 5. to the Gentiles - He whose eyes range through the whole earth 6. and Who sees hidden things, He will set his face on that 7. man and on his seed and will uproot him from under the heavens. 8. And all the people said: Amen and Amen Selah." The inscription opens with a blessing for Yose, `Ezron (or Irun?) and Hizziqiyu, the sons of Hilfi. It then continues with warnings to those who commit the sins of causing dissension in the community, passing on malicious information to the Gentiles, or revealing the secrets of the town.