James Gray

“ As from a lump of clay a workman produces whatever he wishes, so a man obtains the destiny prepared by himself.
3.
Deeds are accomplished by effort, not wishes: deer, verily, do not enter into the mouth of a sleeping lion.
4.
So long as a fool is well-dressed and speaks nothing, even so long does he shine in an assembly.
5.
Glass by association with gold acquires an emerald lustre; by association with the good a fool becomes wise.
6.
Labour bestowed on the worthless is vain: even by a hundred efforts a crow cannot be made to talk like a parrot. ”

“ The streams of rivers flow on and return not; so day and night take with them the life of mortals.
56.
As a man extracts gold from stones, let him also receive what is valuable from all quarters—from a raving mad-man or a chattering fool.
57.
For a man of energy Meru is not too high to be ascended, nor the ocean too extensive to be crossed.
58.
Show compassion to all: the moon withholds not its light from the house of a Châṇḍâla.
59.
There should be no companionship with a wicked man: charcoal, when hot, burns; when cold, it blackens the hand. ”

“ Whosoever's name is not written with the pen in the enumeration of those who are learned, his mother is called barren; and those who have not obtained praise in charity and penance, in valour, science, and the acquisition of property, their mothers have no pleasure in them—they have only obtained the pain of giving them birth. ”