דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים בְּנַחַת נִשְׁמָעִים, אֵלּוּ הַדַּרְשָׁנִים. מִזַּעֲקַת מוֹשֵׁל בַּכְּסִילִים, אֵלּוּ הַמְתֻרְגְּמָנִין שֶׁעוֹמְדִין עַל הַצִּבּוּר. דָּבָר אַחֵר, דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים בְּנַחַת נִשְׁמָעִים, זֶה עַמְרָם וּבֵית דִּינוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי בּוֹן נִמְנוּ אַחַר הַגַּפָּה וְאַחַר הַגָּדֵר, אָמְרוּ מַה הֲנָאָה יֵשׁ לָנוּ שֶׁאָנוּ נוֹשְׂאִים נָשִׁים וְזוֹרְעִים וּמַשְׁלִיכִים לַיְאוֹר, עַד כָּאן הָעוֹלָם יִתְקַיֵּם. מִזַּעֲקַת מוֹשֵׁל בַּכְּסִילִים, זֶה פַּרְעֹה, דַּהֲוָה גָּזַר כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלוֹד וגו', וְלָא הֲוַת בְּדִינָא מַשְׁגָּחָא עַל גְּזֵירָתֵיהּ.
“The words of the wise, softly spoken, are better heard than the cry of a ruler of fools” (Ecclesiastes 9:17). “The words of the wise, softly spoken, are better heard” – these are the expounders, “than the cry of a ruler of fools” – these are the disseminators who stand before the public. Alternatively, “the words of the wise, softly spoken, are better heard” – this is Amram and his court. Rabbi Bon said: They reached a consensus behind the partition or behind the fence; they said: ‘What good it is that we marry women, beget children, and [the Egyptians] cast them into the Nile? Will the world be sustained in this manner?’ “Than the cry of a ruler of fools” – this is Pharaoh, who decreed: “Every son who is born [you shall cast him into the Nile]” (Exodus 1:22), but it was not adjudged that his decree would be observed.