मूर्खा न द्रष्टव्या द्रष्टव्याश्चेत् न तैस्तु सह तिष्ठेत् ।
यदि तिष्ठेत् न तु कथयेत् यदि कथयेत् मूर्खवत्कथयेत् ।।
One should avoid seeing wicked men. Must however they be seen , one should not keep company. Must their company be kept, they should not be talked with; if talked with, it should be in their own language.
न तवा भयं मे व्याघ्रं द्रष्ट्वा वने पिशाचं वा ।
मूर्खं द्रष्ट्वाऽभिमुखं यथा भयं मां समाविशति ।।
I am not filled with so much fear in seeing a tiger in the forest or a ghost, as when I see a wicked person face to face.
कान्तारपादपानां यथा फलं मानुषैः अननुभोग्यम् ।
एवमनार्येषु अर्थाः मनसाप्यार्यैः अननुभोग्याः ।।
Even as the fruits of the forest trees are useless to men, so are the wealth of the wicked. They cannot be enjoyed by the good—even mentally.
उपभोगकातराणां पुरुषाणां अर्थसंचयपरायणाम् ।
कन्यारत्नमिव गृहे तिष्ठन्त्यर्थाः परस्यार्थे ।।
The wealth of people who hoard and are afraid of using it, stay at home like the gem of a daughter only to be given away to another.
कस्तस्य जीवितार्थः सति विभवे कश्च तस्य पुरुषार्थः ।
योऽर्थिनमभिमुखमागतं अनभिमुखस्सन् विसर्जयति ।।
What use is his life and what, being wealthy, his aim in life who turns askance when faced and drives away the indigent person who seeks his help?
चारित्र्यनिर्मलजलः सत्पुरुषनदोऽक्षयो भवतु नित्यम् ।
यस्य विभवारविन्दे विद्वद्भ्रमराः कृतविनोदाः ।।
Let the clear water of the river called good man be full and perennial, in whose lotus of prosperity, bees of learned men delight.
जीवति स जीवलोके सुजीविते नष्टयन्त्रणैः प्रणयात् ।
यस्योद्यानतरोरिव सुहृद्भिरुपभुज्यते लक्ष्मीः ।।
He alone lives in this world whose riches are enjoyed unobstructed and in friendly manner by friends, like the tree of a public garden
यस्मिन्जीवति जीवति महाजनः तस्य जीवितं नाम ।
जीवन्नपि न स जीवति न जीवति यमाश्रितः पुरुषः ।।
He alone lives, by whom great men are able to live. He does not live even though alive, who is unable to help him live who seeks his help.
ज्ञानवतां अतिथीनां लोकज्ञानां प्रकाशवंशानाम् ।
प्रणयाग्देहे निवसतां शेषभुजः सन्तु नः सुहृदः ।।
May these people be our friends—men who take their food only after feeding learned guests who are worldly wise, scions of noble houses and live in their house in friendship
सत्कार्यपूर्वमार्यः प्रयच्छतिच्छन्नमर्थमर्थिभ्यः ।
यद्यपि नीचो यच्छति तत्कारणवच्च जनवच्च ।।
The noble man honours the needy with help, unknown to others. The wicked man, if ever he does, does so with ulterior motives and in public eye.
शीलं शौचं शान्तिर्दाक्षिण्यं मधुरता कुले जन्म ।
न विराजन्ते सर्वाण्यर्थहीनस्य पुरुषस्य ।।
Qualities like rectitude, purity, forbearance, civility, sweetness and noble parentage do not shine in a person devoid of wealth.
हेतुप्रमाणयुक्तं वाक्यं न श्रूयते दरिद्रस्य ।
अप्यस्पष्टं वाक्यमनर्थं पूज्यं समृद्धस्य ।।
The poor man’s utterances, even if reasoned and supported by truths, are never heard. The wealthy man’s utterances even though not clear and with no meanings or wrong meanings, are respected.
ख्यातोऽपि कुले जातः स्त्रग्वी वाग्मी सुदर्शनीयश्च ।
आर्यैर्गुणैर्वियुक्तः पलाश इव पुष्पितो भवति ।।
Although born in a famous family, wears garlands, speaks fluently and looks good, if one is devoid of noble qualities, he becomes like the flowering Palaasha tree(useless).
विद्या श्रुतं तपो वाप्यैश्वर्यं वा यशः प्रकाशो वा ।
शीलरहितस्य पुंसः द्विर्दस्नानोपमं भवति ।।
Education, learning, penance, wealth, fame or glory in the case of a man who has no character, become like the bathing of an elephant.
तीर्थाभिषेकगमनैर्निदाधसू्र्यानुवर्तनस्नानैः ।
शिशिरेष्वगुप्तवासैः नाशीलः स्वर्गमप्नोति ।।
A man without good character does not attain heaven by visiting sacred rivers for bathing, by exposing himself to the sun in summer and by sleeping in the open space in winter.
गन्धैर्वा मल्यैर्वा किं शीलवतो मुहूर्तरमणीयैः ।
दिशि दिशि यस्य प्रसृतः गुणाधिवासो यशोगर्भः ।।
Of what use are cosmetics and flowers whose fragrances are transitory, to a man of good character whose fragrance of character spreads in all directions for ever.
भवतु च न भवतु वित्तं कुलीनता दुर्लभा मनुषस्य ।
प्राप्य च कुलपुत्रत्वं चरित्राढ्येन भवितव्यम् ।।
Let wealth come to us or not. Birth in a noble family for a person is difficult to get. Having been blessed with that, one should build one’s good character.