THE ILiVAM.il.. 



in:; 



A greedy man 

 Unless he has sense 

 Eats ill-health for himself; 

 A foolish man's belly 

 Often causes laughter 

 When he is among the wise. 



Herds know 



When they shall go home 



And then walk off the grass ; 



But an unwise man 



Never knows 



The measure of his stomach. 



A wretched man 



With evil mind 



Sneers at everything ; 



He knows not that, 



Which he needed to know, 



That he is not himself faultless. 



An unwise man 



Is awake all night 



Worrying about everything; 



He is weary 



When the morning comes 



All the woe is as it was. 



An unwise man 



Thinks all who smile on him 



To be his friends ; 



He does not know 



When he sits among wise men 



Though they speak badly of him. 



An unwise man 



Thinks all who smile on him 



To be his friends ; 



But he will find 



When he comes to the thing 



That he has few spokesmen. 1 



An unwise man 



Thinks he knows everything 



If he has shelter in a corner ; 



He knows not 



What he should say 



If men test him. 



An unwise man 



When he comes among people, 



Had best be silent ; 



No one knows 



That he nothing knows, 



Unless he talks too much; 



The man who nothing knows 



Knows not of it 



Though he talk too much. 



He who can ask 

 And answer questions 

 Thinks himself wise ; 

 The sons of men 

 Can hide nothing 

 That passes among men. 



He who is never silent 

 Speaks too many 

 Meaningless words ; 

 A glib tongue 

 Unless it has restrainers 

 Often does harm to itself. 



A man shall not 



Have another for a gazing-stock 2 

 Though he come into company ; 

 Many one thinks himself wise 

 If he is not asked questions 

 And can loiter with dry clothes. 



Wise thinks himself 



The guest who drives away 



Another guest with mocking; 



He is not wise 



Who sneers at a meal 



If he prates among angry men. 



Many men 



Are kind to one another, 



Yet quarrel at the meal ; 



This will always be 



The cause of men's strife ; 



Guest gets angry with guest. 



An early meal 



Should a man often take 



And not pi without it into company ; 



(Otherwise) lie sits and sulks, 



I.e., supporters. 



2 Wake fun of him. 



