Book of Wise Sayings Part 7

Hitopadesa.

226.

The shadows of the mind are like those of the body. In the morning of life they all lie behind us, at noon we trample them under foot, and in the evening they stretch long, broad, and deepening before us.

Longfellow.

227.

He who is full of faith and modesty, who shrinks from sin, and is full of learning, who is diligent, unremiss, and full of understanding--he, being replete with these seven things, is esteemed a wise man.

Burmese.

228.

If your foot slip, you may recover your balance, but if your tongue slip, you cannot recall your words.

Telugu.

229.

A vacant mind is open to all suggestions, as the hollow mountain returns all sounds.

Chinese.

230.

Women are ever masters when they like, And cozen with their kindness; they have spells Superior to the wand of the magicians; And from their lips the words of wisdom fall, Like softest music on the listening ear.

Firdausi.

231.

A man cannot possess anything that is better than a good wife, or anything that is worse than a bad one.

Simonides.

232.

The wife of bad conduct--constantly pleased with quarrelling--she is known by wise men to be cruel Old Age in the form of a wife.

Panchatantra.

233.

I have often thought that the cause of men's good or ill fortune depends on whether they make their actions fit with the times. A man having prospered by one mode of acting can never be persuaded that it may be well for him to act differently, whence it is that a man's Fortune varies, because she changes her times and he does not his ways.

Machiavelli.

234.

By nature all men are alike, but by education very different.

Chinese.

235.

Whilom, ere youth's conceit had waned, methought Answers to all life's problems I had wrought; But now, grown old and wise, too late I see My life is spent, and all my lore is nought.

Omar Khayyam.

236.

Weak men gain their object when allied with strong a.s.sociates: the brook reaches the ocean by the river's aid.

Magha.

237.

A swan is out of place among crows, a lion among bulls, a horse among a.s.ses, and a wise man among fools.

Burmese.

238.

Whosoever does not persecute them that persecute him; whosoever takes an offence in silence; he who does good because of love; he who is cheerful under his sufferings--these are the friends of G.o.d, and of them the Scripture says, "They shall s.h.i.+ne forth like the sun at noontide."

Talmud.

239.

It is intolerable that a silly fool, with nothing but empty birth to boast of, should in his insolence array himself in the merits of others, and vaunt an honour which does not belong to him.

Boileau.

240.

Ask not a man who his father was but make trial of his qualities, and then conciliate or reject him accordingly. For it is no disgrace to new wine, if only it be sweet, as to its taste, that it was the juice [or daughter] of sour grapes.

Arabic.

241.

The sun opens the lotuses, the moon illumines the beds of water-lilies, the cloud pours forth its water unasked: even so the liberal of their own accord are occupied in benefiting others.

Bhartrihari.

242.

We blame equally him who is too proud to put a proper value on his own merit and him who prizes too highly his spurious worth.

Goethe.

243.

Men are so simple, and yield so much to necessity, that he who will deceive may always find him that will lend himself to be deceived.

Machiavelli.

244.

Obstinate silence implies either a mean opinion of ourselves, or a contempt for our company; and it is the more provoking, as others do not know to which of these causes to attribute it--whether humility or pride.

Hazlitt.

245.

If thou desire not to be poor, desire not to be too rich. He is rich, not that possesses much, but he that covets no more; and he is poor, not that enjoys little, but he that wants too much. The contented mind wants nothing which it hath not; the covetous mind wants, not only what it hath not, but likewise what it hath.

Quarles.

246.

Those n.o.ble men who falsehood dread In wealth and glory ever grow, As flames with greater brightness glow With oil in ceaseless flow when fed.

But like to flames with water drenched, Which, faintly flickering, die away, So liars day by day decay, Till all their l.u.s.tre soon is quenched.

Sanskrit.

247.

Watch over thy expenditure, for he who through vain glory spendeth uselessly what he hath on empty follies, will receive neither return nor praise from anyone.

Firdausi.

248.

If thou art a man, speak not much about thine own manliness, for not every champion driveth the ball to the goal.

Sa'di.

249.

The potter forms what he pleases with soft clay, so a man accomplishes his works by his own act.

Hitopadesa.

250.

No man of high and generous spirit is ever willing to indulge in flattery; the good may feel affection for others, but will not flatter them.

Aristotle.

251.

An a.s.s will with his long ears fray The flies that tickle him away; But man delights to have his ears Blown maggots in by flatterers.

Butler.

252.

Books are pleasant, but if by being over-studious we impair our health and spoil our good humour, two of the best things we have, let us give it over. I, for my part, am one of those who think no fruit derived from them can recompense so great a loss.

Montaigne.

253.

He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.

Goethe.

254.

If with a stranger thou discourse, first learn, By strictest observation, to discern If he be wiser than thyself, if so, Be dumb, and rather choose by him to know; But if thyself perchance the wiser be, Then do thou speak, that he may learn by thee.

Randolph.

255.

Being continually in people's sight, by the satiety which it creates, diminishes the reverence felt for great characters.

Livy.

256.

There is a great difference between one who can feel ashamed before his own soul and one who is only ashamed before his fellow men.

Talmud.

257.

By rousing himself, by earnestness, by restraint and control the wise man may make for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm.

Dhammapada.

258.

The best way to make ourselves agreeable to others is by seeming to think them so. If we appear fully sensible of their good qualities they will not complain of the want of them in us.