שָׁאֲלוּ לַחָכְמָה:
חוֹטֵא מָהוּ עוֹנְשׁוֹ?
אָֽמְרָה לָהֶם (משלי יג כא):
חַ֭טָּאִים תְּרַדֵּ֣ף רָעָ֑ה.
שָׁאֲלוּ לַנְּבוּאָה:
חוֹטֵא מָהוּ עוֹנְשׁוֹ?
אָֽמְרָה לָהֶן (יחזקאל יח ד):
הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַֽחֹטֵא֭ת הִ֥יא תָמֽוּת.
שָׁאֲלו לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא:
חוֹטֵא מָהוּ עוֹנְשׁוֹ?
אָמַר לָהֶן: יַעֲשֶׂה תְשׁוּבָה וְיִתְכַּפֵּר לוֹ.
הַייְנוֹ דִכְתִיב (תה' כה ח):
עַל־כֵּ֤ן יוֹרֶ֖ה חַטָּאִ֣ים בַּדָּֽרֶךְ -
יוֹרֶה לַחַטָּאִים דֶּרֶךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה.
They asked Wisdom, what is the punishment of the sinner?
She told them (Prov. 13.21),
evil will pursue sinners.
They asked Prophecy, what is the punishment of the sinner?
She told them (Ezek. 18.4),
the sinning soul is the one which will die.
They asked the Holy One, praise to Him, what is the punishment of the sinner?
He said to them, let him repent and it will be atoned for him.
That is what is written (Ps. 25.8),
therefore, He teaches the way to the sinners - the way to repentance.