The message of Shemaya here is to develop the quality of humility and the avoidance of arrogance. With the advice to love work... labor is a humbling activity that teaches the appreciation of not only one's creativity, but the respect for the fruits of another's labor. By one's own sweat one learns to properly appreciate what it took for another person to produce and create; one learns humility in the face of other's achievements.

The corollary to that is to avoid arrogance. By "hating authority" we mean to avoid assuming the mantle of authority. The Teacher is advising that authority could lead to arrogance.

Aside from the fact that wielding authority may tend to undermine the appreciation for work, labor and may cause the loss of self satisfaction of creativity... it infects the personality with a subtle disdain for labor. Work becomes a chore... something to delegate to others. Work becomes menial... something to direct to subordinates. And by contrast, the distance between the authority figure and the worker widens.

But far worst is that it becomes addictive and pervasive. I will quote the Mishna of Avos D'rav Nasson: (Chapter 10)

“He (Rebbe Yehuda) would say... whoever would have said to me before I entered into greatness [authority]... "Enter!", I would have poured a pitcher of hot water over him... because it is difficult to become acclimated to authority. And as it was difficult to become acclimated to authority, it is similarly difficult to surrender it... We have thus found it so in the case of King Saul. When [the Prophet Samuel] told him to ascend the throne, he hid... as it is written... "He [Hashem] said: Here he [Saul] is hiding among the vessels." And when [Samuel] declared... abandon the kingship... he [Saul] pursued David in order to kill him [as a threatening rival for the throne]."

The phrase... Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely... signifies the lust for power that authority generates.

Rebbe Akiva applied the statement of Shemaya to the scholar of Torah, who carries it as a personal crown upon his head and assumes the haughtiness of his own self importance. "Rebbe Akiva said: Whoever [haughtily] elevates himself through the means of Torah, to what is he compared?... to a carcass abandoned on the road. Whoever passes to and fro, puts his hand on his nose and distances himself from it" So will such an individual be ostracized from those who come to know him.”

Torah is acquired through humility. Its purpose is to preach humility. About Moshe Rabenu the Torah describes him as "The man Moshe was the most humble of all men". And Torah is transferred through humility. The Mishna later declares... if you have learned much Torah, do not consider yourself great... for that was the purpose of your creation.

The one who abuses Torah is soon discovered by his false garb... haughtiness and arrogance. However, as the Talmud depicts... Divrei chachamim... the words of [true] scholars are heard softly!