2.1.2 Learning
391 So learn that you may full and faultless learning gain, Then in obedience meet to lessons learnt remain. Let a man learn thoroughly whatever he may learn, and let his conduct be worthy of his learning.
392 The twain that lore of numbers and of letters give Are eyes, the wise declare, to all on earth that live. Letters and numbers are the two eyes of man.
393 Men who learning gain have eyes, men say; Blockheads’ faces pairs of sores display. The learned are said to have eyes, but the unlearned have (merely) two sores in their face.
394 You meet with joy, with pleasant thought you part; Such is the learned scholar’s wonderous art! It is the part of the learned to give joy to those whom they meet, and on leaving, to make them think (Oh! when shall we meet them again.)
395 With soul submiss they stand, as paupers front a rich man’s face; Yet learned men are first; th’unlearned stand in lowest place. The unlearned are inferior to the learned, before whom they stand begging, as the destitute before the wealthy.
396 In sandy soil, when deep you delve, you reach the springs below; The more you learn, the freer streams of wisdom flow. Water will flow from a well in the sand in proportion to the depth to which it is dug, and knowledge will flow from a man in proportion to his learning.
397 The learned make each land their own, in every city find a home; Who, till they die; learn nought, along what weary ways they roam! How is it that any one can remain without learning, even to his death, when (to the learned man) every country is his own (country), and every town his own (town) ?
398 The man who store of learning gains, In one, through seven worlds, bliss attains. The learning, which a man has acquired in one birth, will yield him pleasure during seven births.
399 Their joy is joy of all the world, they see; thus more The learners learn to love their cherished lore. The learned will long (for more learning), when they see that while it gives pleasure to themselves, the world also derives pleasure from it.
400 Learning is excellence of wealth that none destroy; To man nought else affords reality of joy. Learning is the true imperishable riches; all other things are not riches.
2.1.3 Ignorance
401 Like those at draughts would play without the chequered square, Men void of ample lore would counsels of the learned share. To speak in an assembly (of the learned) without fullness of knowledge, is like playing at chess (on a board) without squares.
402 Like those who doat on hoyden’s undeveloped charms are they, Of learning void, who eagerly their power of words display. The desire of the unlearned to speak (in an assembly), is like a woman without breasts desiring (the enjoyment of ) woman-hood.
403 The blockheads, too, may men of worth appear, If they can keep from speaking where the learned hear! The unlearned also are very excellent men, if they know how to keep silence before the learned.
404 From blockheads’ lips, when words of wisdom glibly flow, The wise receive them not, though good they seem to show. Although the natural knowledge of an unlearned man may be very good, the wise will not accept for true knowledge.
405 As worthless shows the worth of man unlearned, When council meets, by words he speaks discerned. 51 The self-conceit of an unlearned man will fade away, as soon as he speaks in an assembly (of thelearned).
406 ‘They are’: so much is true of men untaught; But, like a barren field, they yield us nought! The unlearned are like worthless barren land: all that can be said of them is, that they exist.
407 Who lack the power of subtle, large, and penetrating sense, Like puppet, decked with ornaments of clay, their beauty’s vain pretence. The beauty and goodness of one who is destitute of knowledge by the study of great and exquisite works, is like (the beauty and goodness) of a painted earthen doll.
408 To men unlearned, from fortune’s favour greater-evil springs Than poverty to men of goodly wisdom brings. Wealth, gained by the unlearned, will give more sorrow than the poverty which may come upon the learned.
409 Lower are men unlearned, though noble be their race, Than low-born men adorned with learning’s grace. The unlearned, though born in a high caste, are not equal in dignity to the learned; though they may have been born in a low caste.
410 Learning’s irradiating grace who gain, Others excel, as men the bestial train. As beasts by the side of men, so are other men by the side of those who are learned in celebrated works.