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[4] cf. Shakespeare, Henry V, I,1, 60.
'The strawberry grows underneath the nettle,
And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best,
Neighbour'd by fruit of baser quality'.
60.
Long is the night to him that is waking,
Long is a league to the traveller worn,
Long is the coil of births
For fools that know not the truth of the Norm.
61.
If one find not a comrade to join him in travel.
Either like unto self or better than self,
It is safer to push on alone;
What fellowship can there be with a fool?
62.
"I am father of sons! I am owner of wealth!"
Thinks the fool in his folly and thereat is troubled.
He himself is not owner of self;
Much less is he owner of sons and of wealth.
63.
Wise indeed is he that knoweth his folly;
Fool indeed is the fool that thinks himself wise.
64.
Tho' a fool in his folly sit all his life long
By the side of a wise man, he never gets wiser,
For he knows not the Norm and its worth,
As the spoon never knoweth the taste of the broth.
65.
But a wise man that sits by the wise but a minute,
Quickly learns of the Norm and its worth,
As the tongue quickly savours the taste of the broth.
66.
Fools fare up and down with themselves for their foe,
And work evil deeds whose fruit will be bitter;
67.
Ill-done is the deed that brings sorrow in doing,
Whose fruit they will meet with tears and annoy;
68.
Well done is the deed that brings pleasure in doing,
Whose fruit they will welcome with gladness and joy.
69.
"O! how sweet!" thinks the fool, ere his wicked deed ripens.
When his wicked deed ripens he knows what is sorrow.
70.
Tho' month after month with the blade of a sword-grass[1]
The fool eats his rice grain by grain,
Not one fourth of a quarter of good doth he gain
Such as those who are stablished in Dhamma obtain.
71.
Now an ill deed, like milk, doth not change into curds,
But it burneth the fool—a live coal 'neath the ashes.
72.
Since his knowledge is born to a fool all in vain,
His good luck is lost to him wholly;
On his own head it falls; he is crushed by his folly.
73-4.
If a fool long for credit that is not his due,
Chief seats in the monks' hall,[2] respect from the Order,
And worship from laymen desiring;
"Let the monks and the laymen my deeds hold in honour
And in all things obey me, whate'er I may will—"
If such be the thoughts of the fool,
His pride and his longing increase in him still.
75.
"Success here is one thing, Nibbna another:"
When a monk, the Buddha's disciple, is sure
Of this truth, he delights not in honour, eschews
The ways of the world and lives a recluse.
[1] An ascetic way of eating, supposed to be meritorious.
[2] Cf. N.T. "chief seats in the synagogue."
76.
If thou see a man of wisdom,
Like a guide to treasure-trove,
Pointing out thy faults and failings,
Follow him; such company
Brings prosperity, not woe.
77.
He who gives advice and teaching,
And restrains thy feet from wrong,
By the righteous is beloved,
But the wicked love him not.
78.
Have no fellowship with evil;
Make no friends among the vile;
Make the virtuous thy companions;
Follow thou the Perfect Men.
79.
They who drink the Good Norm's nectar
Live in bliss with tranquil mind;
In the Norm by saints expounded
Wise men ever take delight.
80.
Irrigators guide the waters,
Fletchers straighten out the shaft,
Carpenters unwarp the timber,
But the wise subdue themselves.
81.
As the solid rock for ever
Rests unshaken by the wind,
Wise men rest unwavering,
Troubled not by praise or blame.
82.
As a deep clear pool of water
Lies unruffled by the wind,
To the Good Norm listening
Wise men reach tranquillity.
83.
When the good men go about,
Sensual babble is not theirs;
They, when touched by pain or pleasure,
Show a calm untroubled face.
84.
Not for self and not for others
Do they long for sons or wealth,
Not for rule, nor by injustice
Self-advancement to attain;
Righteous, wise and just are they.
85.
Few are they among us mortals
Who have reached the further shore
Over yonder. But we others
On this side fare up and down.
86.
They who hold fast to the teaching
Of the Norm expounded well
They shall reach the shore and pass
The realm of Death so hard to cross.
87-8.
Giving up the state of darkness,
Let the wise embrace the pure;
Giving up home for the homeless
Loneliness, where joys are rare,
Let him long for bliss unbounded
Casting all desire aside,
Owning naught, and, firm in wisdom,
Cleanse his heart from passion's stain.
89.
They whose mind is rightly tempered
In the Wisdom's seven ways,[1]
Who have left desire behind them,
Void of clinging, they rejoicing
Passionless and all-resplendent,
Even in this world are freed.[2]
