וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶלְיָקִ֣ים בֶּן־חִ֠לְקִיָּהוּ וְשֶׁבְנָ֨ה וְיוֹאָ֜ח אֶל־רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה דַּבֶּר־נָ֤א אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲרָמִ֔ית כִּ֥י שֹׁמְעִ֖ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ וְאַל־תְּדַבֵּ֤ר עִמָּ֙נוּ֙ יְהוּדִ֔ית בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַחֹמָֽה׃
Da sprach Eljakim, Sohn Hilkijas, und Sebna und Joah zu Rabsake: Rede doch zu deinen Knechten aramäisch, denn wir verstehen es, und rede nicht mit uns judäisch vor den Ohren des Volkes auf der Mauer.
Words of Peace and Truth
They have authors and poets who communicate fluently and beautifully. We have not bothered to learn from them or raise our children this way. Rather, we have become accustomed to raise our children under the tutelage of teachers from Poland who speak German improperly. Our sages would not have been satisfied with this, for they said that the members of the Sanhedrin had to be fluent in all languages and not rely on translators. King Hezekiah’s men, who were all righteous and good hearted, said to Rabshakeh “Speak to us in Aramean, for we understand it, etc.” (II Kings 18:26) The leaders of Jerusalem spoke Hebrew perfectly but also learned Aramean which was the language of Ashur.