ON WISDOM

 

Poets and Princes

 

            Unhonoured in a State when poets dwell

                        Whose fames range wider than its strong-winged birds,

            Whose utterance is for grace adorable

                        Of chosen speech and art of noble words,

            Whose wisdom hundreds come to hear and tell;

            The world that nation’s chief for dullness blames,

                        For poets without wealth are rich and kings:

                        When values low depreciate costly things,

             ‘Tis the appraiser’s shame and not the gem’s.

  

True Wealth

 

            Knowledge is truest wealth, not this which dies, —

                        It cherishes a strange deep peace within

            Unutterably, nor the robber’s eyes

                        Ever shall find it out; to give it is gain,

            It then grows most when parted with, and poured

            With sleepless hand fills gloriously its lord.

            Worlds perish may, Knowledge survives their fall;

            This wise men cherish; 0 Kings, your pride recall,

            You have but wealth, they inner royalty

            Of  lordliest wisdom. Who with these shall vie ? 

 

The Man of Knowledge

 

            Scorn not the man of knowledge to whose eyes

                        The secrets of the world have been revealed!

            Thou canst not hold his spirit from the skies

                        By fortune light nor all that earth can yield.

            The furious tusker with new dark rut stained

            Were sooner by a lotus-thread detained. 

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Fate and Wisdom

 

            What can the extreme wrath of hostile Fate?

                        The swan that floats in the cool lotus-wood

                        She from his pleasant mansion can exclude.

            His fame remains, in food adulterate¹

            Who could the better choose, the worse discern.

            Fate cannot touch glory that mind can earn.

 

The Real Ornament

 

            It is not armlets that adorn a man,

                        Nor necklaces all crammed with moonbright pearls,

                        Nor baths, nor ointments, nor arranged curls.

            Tis art of excellent speech that only can

            Adorn him: jewels perish, garlands fade;

            This only abides and glitters undecayed. 

 

The Praises of Knowledge

 

            Knowledge is nobler beauty in a man

                        Than features: ‘tis his hidden hoard of price;

            This the long roll of Masters first began;

                        Pleasure it brings, just fame and constant bliss,

            And is a helping friend in foreign lands,

            And is a very god with puissant hands.

            Knowledge, not wealth in great men is adored,

            Nor better than a beast the mind unstored.

 

¹ The swan was supposed to have the power of separating milk from water when the two were mixed. 

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Comparisons

 

Men cherish burning anger in their hearts,

Yet look without to find if they have foes.

Who sweet forbearance has, requires no arts

Of speech; persuading silently he goes.

Why fear the snake when in thy kindness bask

Men evil, or a fire while kinsmen jar

Burning thy house! From heaven no medicines ask

To heal a troubled mind, where true friends are.

Nor seek for ornaments, noble modest shame

Being with thee, nor for wealth when wisdom’s by.

Who needs a kingdom when his mind can claim

A golden realm in sweetest poetry? 

 

Worldly Wisdom

 

Have mercy for all men, for thy own race

Have kindness, for the cunning cunning have,

Affection for the good, and politic ways

For princes: for thy foes a spirit brave,

Patience for elders, candour for the wise:

Have skilful ways to steal out women’s hearts.

Who shine here, masters in these social arts,

In them the human scheme deep-rooted lies. 

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Good Company

 

Company of good men is a very soil

Of plenty, yielding all high things to man.

The dull weight of stupidity it can

Lift from the mind and cleanse of falsehood vile,

Sprinkling truth’s fragrance sweet upon the speech;

And it can point out greatness’ rising path,

And drive out sinful lust and drive out wrath,

And a calm gladness to the senses teach;

Glory that to the very stars would climb,

Can give thee, conquering thy heart and time.

 

TheConquests of Sovereign Poetry

 

Who are the conquerors ? Not mere lords of land,

              But kihigly poets, whose high victories

          Are perfect works; men’s hearts at their command

                 Are wholly; at their will the passions rise.

          Glory their body is, which Death’s pale fear

          Afflicts not, nor abhorred Age comes near.

 

Rarites

 

Whatever most the soul on earth desires,

        Are rarities, as, a virtuous son; a wife

  Who wholly loves; Fortune that never tires;

A friend whose sweet affection waters life;

A master pleased; servants that ne’er deceive;

A charming form; a mind no sorrows grieve;

A mouth in wisdom proved that makes not strife.

     These to his favourites being pleased allows

      Hari, of whom the world grows amorous. 

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The Universal Religion

 

All varying Scriptures that the earth divide,

Have yet one common rule that need o’erride

Dogma nor rite, nor any creed offend;

All to their heavens by one sole path intend.

Tis this: — Abstain from slaughter; others’ wealth

To covet cease, and in thy speech no stealth

Of falsehood harbour; give in season due

According to thy power; from ribald view

Or word keep far of woman, wife or maid;

Be mild obedience to thy elders paid;

Dam longing like a river; each act beneath

Show mercy and kindness to all things that breathe. 

 

Great and Meaner Spirits

 

Some from high action through base fear refrain;

The path is difficult, the way not plain.

Others more noble to begin, are stayed

By a few failures. Great spirits undismayed

Abandon never what once to do they swore.

Baffled and beaten back, they spring once more,

Buffeted and borne down, rise up again,

And, full of wounds, come on like iron men. 

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The Narrow Way

 

Kind to be, yet immutably be just;

To find all baser act too hard to do, —

Yea, though not doing shatter our life to dust;—

Contempt that will not to the evil sue;

Not to the friend that’s poor our need to state;

Baffled by fortune still erect to stand;

Being small to tread in footprints of the great;

Who for weak men such rugged path has planned,

   Harder to tread than edge of this sharp brand ?

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