A wise man displays neither the severity,
Nor the apathy, that would impair his dignity.
He neither sets too high a value on himself,
Nor altogether lowers himself.

-SADI'S GULISTAN.*

The wise man practises humility-the bough laden with fruit bends its head to the earth.

-SADI.

The duties which the wise man owes are these; to God, obedience and gratitude; to the king, sincere loyalty and counsel; to himself, earnestness for good and avoidance of evil; to his friends, liberality and faithfulness; and to mankind generally, courtesy and protection.

-"JAVIDAN KHIRAD."+

A man should never be ashamed to own that he has been in the wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that he is wiser to-day than he was yesterday.

-POPE.

In the same manner as it is a received principle that the general should lead the army, so should wise men lead affairs.

-DEMOSTHENES.

Be wisely worldly, be not worldly wise.

-QUARLES.

Follow the wise few than the vulgar many.

* Translated by Platts.

† From Ancient Iranian and Zoroastrian Morals, by D. J. Medhora.

Far does the man all other men excel,

Who, from his wisdom, thinks in all things well,
Wisely considering, to himself a friend,

All for the present best, and for the end.
Nor is the man without his share of praise,
Who well the dictates of the wise obeys:
But he that is not wise himself, nor can
Hearken to wisdom, is a useless man.*

ADVICE TO WISE MEN.

-HESIOD.

Since on mankind, thy door thou canst not close, Nor in thy lonely closet sole repose,

Bestow thy friendship on the good, for it Is not for each dark-hearted miscreant fit. This saying of a sage recurs to me— (God's mercy on his saintly spirit be!) "He who of foolish men becomes the friend, Will find their friendship troublous in the end." " ANVAR-I-SUHAILI. "†

He is indeed a fool who is not disposed to learn; He shows himself to be a fool who is a stranger to all good manners;

It is a sign of folly in one to speak too much falsehood;

That man is really a fool who lays open his own drawbacks;

Foolish is he again who does not work but eats and sleeps immoderately;

The above says Sâmal are the marks that betray a fool. -SAMAL. +

*From Brown's Aristotle's Ethics.

†Translated by Eastwick.

A Gujarati poet.

Fools are not planted or sowed; they grow of

themselves.

--RUSSIAN PROVERB.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

"BIBLE-PROVERBS."

To fools, the treasures dug from wisdom's mine
Are Jewels thrown to Cocks, and Pearls to Swine.*

People utter not a word, even in jest,

But what sensible men learn a lesson therefrom.
But if to the fool a hundred chapters on wisdom
People read, they would be as jesting to his ear.
-SADI'S GULISTAN.+

Forbid a fool a thing, and that he will do.

Even stones may be dissolved, but not the heart of a fool.

-TAMIL PROVERB.

But of all burdens that a man can bear,

Most is, a fool's talk to bear and hear.

SPENSER.

A fool was teaching an ass,

Wasting effort on him continually.

A sage said to him, "O fool! why art thou taking

this trouble?

In this madness fear the ridicule of the reviler,

*From Bewick's Select Falles.

+ Translated by Platts,

Beasts will not learn speech of thee;

Learn thou silence of beasts."

-SADI'S GULISTAN.*

Solon being in company and holding his peace according to his custom, there was a young giddybrained fellow, who told him he was silent, because he was a fool. Solon, without any concern, answered him wisely, that there never was a fool that could hold his tongue.

One never so much needs his wit, as when he argues with a fool.

-CHINESE PROVERB.

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

-"BIBLE PROVERBS."

Be it your unerring rule
Ne'er to contradict a fool;
For if folly dare but brave you,
All your wisdom cannot save you.

-R. M. MILNES.

Fools may our scorn, not envy, raise,

For envy is a kind of praise.

-GAY.

Thou foolishly settest thy price-mark on thyself,

When thou choosest fools for thy company.

I sought some advice of some sages:

* Translated by Platts.

They said to me, "Mix not with fools,

For if thou art a man of sense, thou wilt appear

an ass,

And if thou art a fool, thou wilt appear more foolish. "

-SADI'S GULISTAN.*

The mouth of a wise man is in his heart, the heart of a fool is in his mouth, because what he knoweth or thinketh he uttereth.

The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walketh in darkness.

-SOLOMON.

Prudence guides the wise, but passion governs the

foolish.

The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

-"BIBLE-PROVERBS."

A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil; but the fool rageth, and is confident.

-"BIBLE-PROVERBS. "

The wise man knows he knows nothing: the fool thinks he knows all.

The wise, of themselves, know the approach of danger, or they put trust in others: but a foolish man does not believe information without personal experience.† -MAGHA.

* Translated by Platts.
+ From Colebrooke's Essays.