Translation: It was taught: When R. Eliezer fell ill, R. Akiva and his colleagues entered to visit him. He was sitting in his canopied bed, and they were sitting in his hall. That day was Erev Shabbos. Hyrcanus his son entered to remove his Tefillin; he rebuked him, and he left in anger. He said to his colleagues: It seems to me that my father's mind has become confused. He said to them: His mind and his mother's mind are confused - how can they leave a prohibition punishable by stoning (e.g. preparations such as lighting the candles before sunset, which if delayed might lead to a capital offence) and occupy themselves with a Rabbinic Shabbos prohibition (of wearing Tefillin on Shabbos)? When the Sages saw that his mind was settled, they went up, entered, and sat before him at a distance of four Amos. He said to them: Why have you come? They said to him: We have come to learn Torah. He said to them: And until now, why did you not come? They said to him: We did not have time. He said to them: I wonder if they will die natural deaths. R. Akiva said to him: What about me? He said to him: Yours will be more severe than theirs. (R. Eliezer) raised his two arms and placed them upon his heart and said: Woe to you, my two arms, which are like two Torah scrolls that are rolled. Much Torah I have learned and much Torah I have taught. Much Torah I have learned, and I did not diminish (the difference between myself and my teachers) even like a dog lapping from the sea. Much Torah I have taught, but they did not (accept from me and) diminish (the difference between us through learning from me) except like an (eye-makeup) applicator from a tube. And not only that, but I would teach three hundred laws concerning a bright white (leprous) spot, and no person ever asked me about them. And not only that, but I would teach three hundred laws, and some say three thousand laws, concerning the planting of cucumbers, and no person ever asked me about them, except for Akiva ben Yosef. One time he and I were walking on the road. He said to me: My teacher, teach me about the planting of cucumbers. I said one thing, and the entire field filled with cucumbers. He said to me: My teacher, you have taught me their planting; teach me their uprooting. I said one thing, and they all gathered into one place. They said to him: what is the law regarding a ball, a shoe mold, an amulet or Tefillin? He said to them: They are susceptible to Tumah and they are purified as they are. What is the law regarding a shoe that is still on the mold? 'It is pure', and his soul departed in purity. R. Yehoshua stood on his feet and said: The vow is annulled; the vow is annulled. (R. Eliezer had been in excommunication since the story of the 'Achnai oven' in Bava Metzia 59b.) After Shabbos, R. Akiva encountered him between Caesarea and Lod, and he was striking his flesh until his blood flowed to the ground. He began a lament for him and said (Melachim II 2:12), "my father, my father, the chariot of Yisrael and its horsemen"; I have much money (i.e. questions to ask) but I have no money-changer to exchange it (i.e. answer them).