1.2.15 Not Backbiting
181 Though virtuous words his lips speak not, and all his deeds are ill. If neighbour he defame not, there’s good within him still. Though one do not even speak of virtue and live in sin, it will be well if it be said of him “he does not backbite.”
182 Than he who virtue scorns, and evil deeds performs, more vile, Is he that slanders friend, then meets him with false smile. To smile deceitfully (in another’s presence) after having reviled him to his destruction (behind his back) is a greater evil than the commission of (every other) sin and the destruction of (every) virtue.
183 ‘Tis greater gain of virtuous good for man to die, Than live to slander absent friend, and falsely praise when nigh. Death rather than life will confer upon the deceitful backbiter the profit which (the treatises on) virtue point out.
184 In presence though unkindly words you speak, say not In absence words whose ill result exceeds your thought. Though you speak without kindness before another’s face speak not in his absence words which regard not the evil subsequently resulting from it.
185 The slanderous meanness that an absent friend defames, ‘This man in words owns virtue, not in heart,’ proclaims. The emptiness of that man’s mind who (merely) praises virtue will be seen from the meanness of reviling another behind his back. 24
186 Who on his neighbours’ sins delights to dwell, The story of his sins, culled out with care, the world will tell. The character of the faults of that man who publishes abroad the faults of others will be sought out and published.
187 With friendly art who know not pleasant words to say, Speak words that sever hearts, and drive choice friends away. Those who know not to live in friendship with amusing conversation will by back-biting estrange even their relatives.
188 Whose nature bids them faults of closest friends proclaim What mercy will they show to other men’s good name? What will those not do to strangers whose nature leads them to publish abroad the faults of their intimate friends ?
189 ‘Tis charity, I ween, that makes the earth sustain their load. Who, neighbours’ absence watching, tales or slander tell abroad. The world through charity supports the weight of those who reproach others observing their absence.
190 If each his own, as neighbours’ faults would scan, Could any evil hap to living man? If they observed their own faults as they observe the faults of others, would any evil happen to men ?
1.2.16 The Not Speaking Profitless Words
191 Words without sense, while chafe the wise, Who babbles, him will all despise. He who to the disgust of many speaks useless things will be despised by all.
192 Words without sense, where many wise men hear, to pour Than deeds to friends ungracious done offendeth more. To speak useless things in the presence of many is a greater evil than to do unkind things towards friends.
193 Diffusive speech of useless words proclaims A man who never righteous wisdom gains. That conversation in which a man utters forth useless things will say of him “he is without virtue.”
194 Unmeaning, worthless words, said to the multitude, To none delight afford, and sever men from good. 25 The words devoid of profit or pleasure which a man speaks will, being inconsistent with virtue, remove him from goodness.
195 Gone are both fame and boasted excellence, When men of worth speak of words devoid of sense. If the good speak vain words their eminence and excellence will leave them.
196 Who makes display of idle words’ inanity, Call him not man, -chaff of humanity! Call not him a man who parades forth his empty words. Call him the chaff of men.
197 Let those who list speak things that no delight afford, ‘Tis good for men of worth to speak no idle word. Let the wise if they will, speak things without excellence; it will be well for them not to speak useless things.
198 The wise who weigh the worth of every utterance, Speak none but words of deep significance. The wise who seek after rare pleasures will not speak words that have not much weight in them.
199 The men of vision pure, from wildering folly free, Not e’en in thoughtless hour, speak words of vanity. Those wise men who are without faults and are freed from ignorance will not even forgetfully speak things that profit not.
200 If speak you will, speak words that fruit afford, If speak you will, speak never fruitless word. Speak what is useful, and speak not useless words.
1.2.17 Dread of Evil Deeds
201 With sinful act men cease to feel the dread of ill within, The excellent will dread the wanton pride of cherished sin. Those who have experience of evil deeds will not fear, but the excellent will fear the pride of sin.
202 Since evils new from evils ever grow, Evil than fire works out more dreaded woe. Because evil produces evil, therefore should evil be feared more than fire.
203 Even to those that hate make no return of ill; 26 So shalt thou wisdom’s highest law, ’tis said, fulfil. To do no evil to enemies will be called the chief of all virtues.
204 Though good thy soul forget, plot not thy neighbour’s fall, Thy plans shall ‘virtue’s Power’ by ruin to thyself forestall. Even though forgetfulness meditate not the ruin of another. Virtue will meditate the ruin of him who thus meditates.
205 Make not thy poverty a plea for ill; Thy evil deeds will make thee poorer still. Commit not evil, saying, “I am poor”: if you do, you will become poorer still.
206 What ranks as evil spare to do, if thou would’st shun Affliction sore through ill to thee by others done. Let him not do evil to others who desires not that sorrows should pursue him.
207 From every enmity incurred there is to ‘scape, a way; The wrath of evil deeds will dog men’s steps, and slay. However great be the enmity men have incurred they may still live. The enmity of sin will incessantly pursue and kill.
208 Man’s shadow dogs his steps where’er he wends; Destruction thus on sinful deeds attends. Destruction will dwell at the heels of those who commit evil even as their shadow that leaves them not.
209 Beware, if to thyself thyself is dear, Lest thou to aught that ranks as ill draw near! If a man love himself, let him not commit any sin however small.
210 The man, to devious way of sin that never turned aside, From ruin rests secure, whatever ills betide. Know ye that he is freed from destruction who commits no evil, going to neither side of the right path.
1.2.18 The knowledge of what is Befitting a Man’s Position
211 Duty demands no recompense; to clouds of heaven, By men on earth, what answering gift is given? Benevolence seeks not a return. What does the world give back to the clouds ? 2 7
212 The worthy say, when wealth rewards their toil-spent hours, For uses of beneficence alone ’tis ours. All the wealth acquired with perseverance by the worthy is for the exercise of benevolence.
213 To ‘due beneficence’ no equal good we know, Amid the happy gods, or in this world below. It is difficult to obtain another good equal to benevolence either in this world or in that of the gods.
214 Who knows what’s human life’s befitting grace, He lives; the rest ‘mongst dead men have their place. He truly lives who knows (and discharges) the proper duties (of benevolence). He who knows them not will be reckoned among the dead.
215 The wealth of men who love the ‘fitting way,’ the truly wise, Is as when water fills the lake that village needs supplies. The wealth of that man of eminent knowledge who desires to exercise the benevolence approved of by the world, is like the full waters of a city-tank.
216 A tree that fruits in th’ hamlet’s central mart, Is wealth that falls to men of liberal heart. The wealth of a man (possessed of the virtue) of benevolence is like the ripening of a fruitful tree in the midst of a town.
217 Unfailing tree that healing balm distils from every part, Is ample wealth that falls to him of large and noble heart. If wealth be in the possession of a man who has the great excellence (of benevolence), it is like a tree which as a medicine is an infallible cure for disease.
218 E’en when resources fall, they weary not of ‘kindness due,’- They to whom Duty’s self appears in vision true. The wise who know what is duty will not scant their benevolence even when they are without wealth.
219 The kindly-hearted man is poor in this alone, When power of doing deeds of goodness he finds none. The poverty of a benevolent man, is nothing but his inability to exercise the same.
220 Though by ‘beneficence,’ the loss of all should come, ‘Twere meet man sold himself, and bought it with the sum. If it be said that loss will result from benevolence, such loss is worth being procured even by the sale of one’s self.