Indian Poetry Part 19

"When the miser hides his treasure in the earth, he doeth well; For he opens up a pa.s.sage that his soul may sink to h.e.l.l."

"He whose coins are kept for counting, not to barter nor to give, Breathe he like a blacksmith's bellows, yet in truth he doth not live."

"Gifts, bestowed with words of kindness, making giving doubly dear: Wisdom, deep, complete, benignant, of all arrogancy clear; Valour, never yet forgetful of sweet Mercy's pleading prayer; Wealth, and scorn of wealth to spend it--oh! but these be virtues rare!"

"Sentences of studied wisdom, nought avail they unapplied; Though the blind man hold a lantern, yet his footsteps stray aside."

"Would'st thou, know whose happy dwelling Fortune entereth unknown?

His, who careless of her favour, standeth fearless in his own; His, who for the vague to-morrow barters not the sure to-day-- Master of himself, and sternly steadfast to the rightful way: Very mindful of past service, valiant, faithful, true of heart-- Unto such comes Lakshmi smiling--comes, and will not lightly part."

"Be not haughty, being wealthy; droop not, having lost thine all; Fate doth play with mortal fortunes as a girl doth toss her ball."

"Worldly friends.h.i.+ps, fair but fleeting; shadows of the clouds at noon; Women, youth, new corn, and riches; these be pleasures pa.s.sing soon."

"For thy bread be not o'er thoughtful--Heav'n for all hath taken thought: When the babe is born, the sweet milk to the mother's breast is brought.

"He who gave the swan her silver, and the hawk her plumes of pride, And his purples to the peac.o.c.k--He will verily provide."

"Though for good ends, waste not on wealth a minute; Mud may be wiped, but wise men plunge not in it."

"Brunettes, and the Banyan's shadow, Well-springs, and a brick-built wall, Are all alike cool in the summer, And warm in the winter--all."

"Ah! the gleaming, glancing arrows of a lovely woman's eye!

Feathered with her jetty lashes, perilous they pa.s.s thee by: Loosed at venture from the black bows of her arching brow, they part, All too penetrant and deadly for an undefended heart."

"Beautiful the Koil seemeth for the sweetness of his song, Beautiful the world esteemeth pious souls for patience strong; Homely features lack not favour when true wisdom they reveal, And a wife is fair and honoured while her heart is firm and leal."

"Friend! gracious word!--the heart to tell is ill able Whence came to men this jewel of a syllable."

"Whoso for greater quits small gain, Shall have his labour for his pain; The things unwon unwon remain, And what was won is lost again."

"Looking down on lives below them, men of little store are great; Looking up to higher fortunes, hard to each man seems his fate."

"As a bride, unwisely wedded, shuns the cold caress of eld, So, from coward souls and slothful, Lakshmi's favours turn repelled."

"Ease, ill-health, home-keeping, sleeping, woman-service, and content-- In the path that leads to greatness these be six obstructions sent."

"Seeing how the soorma wasteth, seeing how the ant-hill grows, Little adding unto little--live, give, learn, as life-time, goes."

"Drops of water falling, falling, falling, brim the chatty o'er; Wisdom comes in little lessons--little gains make largest store."

"Men their cunning schemes may spin-- G.o.d knows who shall lose or win."

"Shoot a hundred shafts, the quarry lives and flies--not due to death; When his hour is come, a gra.s.s-blade hath a point to stop his breath."

"Robes were none, nor oil of unction, when the King of Beasts was crowned: 'Twas his own fierce roar proclaimed him, rolling all the kingdom round."

"What but for their va.s.sals, Elephant and man-- Swing of golden ta.s.sels, Wave of silken fan-- But for regal manner That the 'Chattra' brings, Horse, and foot, and banner-- What would come of kings?"

"At the work-time, asking wages--is it like a faithful herd?

When the work's done, grudging wages--is _that_ acting like a lord?"

"Serve the Sun with sweat of body; starve thy maw to feed the flame; Stead thy lord with all thy service; to thy death go, quit of blame."

"Many prayers for him are uttered whereon many a life relies; 'Tis but one poor fool the fewer when the greedy jack-daw dies."

"Give thy Dog the merest mouthful, and he crouches at thy feet, Wags his tail, and fawns, and grovels, in his eagerness to eat; Bid the Elephant be feeding, and the best of fodder bring; Gravely--after much entreaty--condescends that mighty king."

"By their own deeds men go downward, by them men mount upward all, Like the diggers of a well, and like the builders of a wall."

"Rushes down the hill the crag, which upward 'twas so hard to roll: So to virtue slowly rises--so to vice quick sinks the soul."

"Who speaks unasked, or comes unbid, Or counts on service--will be chid."