Indian Poetry Part 22

"That which will not be will not be, and what is to be will be: Why not drink this easy physic, antidote of misery?"

"Whoso trusts, for service rendered, or fair words, an enemy, Wakes from folly like one falling in his slumber from a tree."

"Fellow be with kindly foemen, rather than with friends unkind; Friend and foeman are distinguished not by t.i.tle but by mind."

"Whoso setting duty highest, speaks at need unwelcome things, Disregarding fear and favour, such an one may succour kings."

"Brahmans for their lore have honour; Kshattriyas for their bravery; Vaisyas for their hard-earned treasure; Sudras for humility."

"Seven foemen of all foemen, very hard to vanquish be: The Truth-teller, the Just-dweller, and the man from pa.s.sion free.

"Subtle, self-sustained, and counting frequent well-won victories, And the man of many kinsmen--keep the peace with such as these."

"For the man with many kinsmen answers by them all attacks; As the bambu, in the bambus safely sheltered, scorns the axe."

"Whoso hath the gift of giving wisely, equitably, well; Whoso, learning all men's secrets, unto none his own will tell: Whoso, ever cold and courtly, utters nothing that offends, Such an one may rule his fellows unto Earth's extremest ends."

"Cheating them that truly trust you, 'tis a clumsy villany!

Any knave may slay the child who climbs and slumbers on his knee."

"Hunger hears not, cares not, spares not; no boon of the starving beg; When the snake is pinched with craving, verily she eats her egg."

"Of the Tree of State the root Kings are--feed what brings the fruit."

"Courtesy may cover malice; on their _heads_ the woodmen bring, Meaning all the while to burn them, logs and f.a.ggots--oh, my King!

And the strong and subtle river, rippling at the cedar's foot, While it seems to lave and kiss it, undermines the hanging root."

"Weep not! Life the hired nurse is, holding us a little s.p.a.ce; Death, the mother who doth take us back into our proper place."

"Gone, with all their gauds and glories: gone, like peasants, are the Kings, Whereunto this earth was witness, whereof all her record rings."

"For the body, daily wasting, is not seen to waste away, Until wasted; as in water set a jar of unbaked clay."

"And day after day man goeth near and nearer to his fate, As step after step the victim thither where its slayers wait."

"Like as a plank of drift-wood Tossed on the watery main, Another plank encountered, Meets,--touches,--parts again; So tossed, and drifting ever, On life's unresting sea, Men meet, and greet, and sever, Parting eternally."

"Halt, traveller! rest i' the shade: then up and leave it!

Stay, Soul! take fill of love; nor losing, grieve it!"

"Each beloved object born Sets within the heart a thorn, Bleeding, when they be uptorn."

"If thine own house, this rotting frame, doth wither, Thinking another's lasting--goest thou thither?"

"Meeting makes a parting sure, Life is nothing but death's door."

"As the downward-running rivers never turn and never stay, So the days and nights stream deathward, bearing human lives away."

"Bethinking him of darkness grim, and death's unshunned pain, A man strong-souled relaxes hold, like leather soaked in rain."

"From the day, the hour, the minute.

Each life quickens in the womb; Thence its march, no falter in it, Goes straight forward to the tomb."

"An 'twere not so, would sorrow cease with years?

Wisdom sees right what want of knowledge fears."

"Seek not the wild, sad heart! thy pa.s.sions haunt it; Play hermit in thy house with heart undaunted; A governed heart, thinking no thought but good, Makes crowded houses holy solitude."

"Away with those that preach to us the washing off of sin-- Thine own self is the stream for thee to make ablutions in: In self-restraint it rises pure--flows clear in tide of truth, By widening banks of wisdom, in waves of peace and truth."

"Bathe there, thou son of Pandu! with reverence and rite, For never yet was water wet could wash the spirit white."

"Thunder for nothing, like December's cloud, Pa.s.ses unmarked: strike hard, but speak not loud."

"Minds deceived by evil natures, from the good their faith withhold; When hot conjee once has burned them, children blow upon the cold."

THE END.