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her husband should put her away though she hath borne him an hundred children.

13. The woman that delighteth in her husband when he eateth and when he adorneth himself, and as a mother correcteth that which is wrong; that is much ashamed as a sister when she seeth that which is not decent or that which should be hidden; that is respectful as a slave before her husband when he hath business; that obtaineth a companion to consult in the time of trouble; that giveth joy in the hour of sleep; that is clever to make herself comely; that is patient in the time of anger: that woman he that is wise calleth excellent, and when she is dead she is counted among the angels.*

14.

The maiden whose flesh is as the colour of gold; that hath eyes black as the hart's; whose waist is small and whose loins are broad; whose leg tapereth as an elephant's trunk; whose hair untied curleth at the tips; whose teeth are level; that hath a deep navel; that is pleasing in her carriaget: thou shouldest wed such an one even if she be of low birth.

15. The eighth m'onth‡ is the most excellent among the seasons; so the most beautiful is the best among women; even so the eldest is the most excellent among sons and the North among the four quarters.

16. The woman that in each life§ desireth steadfastly to become a man must bear herself towards her husband respectfully, even as the wife of the chief of the Spirits || beareth herself respectfully to him.

17. Whatsoever man in each life¶ desireth steadfastly to become a man goeth not near the wife of another, as he that would wash his feet shunneth the mud.

18. If he that hath become old take to wife a young girl, whose breasts are small as the fruit of the fig-tree, not being able to deal with her according to her desire, then she doeth him an injury.** Believe her not if she saith she knoweth her old husband only: wherefore being wedded to a young wife he shall come to ruin by reason of her. Here endeth the book concerning women.

* Or goeth to the country of the spirits or of the Nàts.

† Or habits.

Or November.

Or in each state of life.

|| Or Nàts.

¶ Or in each state of life.

**Or speaketh evil of him behind his back.

CHAPTER VI.

1. A king sleepeth but one watch of the night: a wise man sleepeth but two: but he that is wedded sleepeth for three and the beggar sleepeth all night.*

2. In whatsoever place there is none that is rich; no wise man that seeth and heareth much; no king; no river; and likewise none to heal: in the place where are not these five remain not even for a day.

3. In whatsoever place there is none to love, none to desire, none that is friendly, none to teach wisdom and learning: remain not in that place even for a day.

4. In the world the house is desolate wherein are no children and the kingdom desolate that hath no king: so the mouth of him that hath no wisdom is dumb† and all is desolation to him that is poor.

.5. In the world he that would be rich becometh a trader: he that would be learned serveth him that is wise: he that would have sons marrieth a young wife: and he that would be a ruler doeth the desire of the king.

6. The priest that is not content cometh to ruin, as a lord of the world, if he be satisfied, cometh to destruction: so an harlot is ruined if she become modest, or she that is pure if she lose her modesty.

7. The strength of a bird is as the heavens: the strength of a fish is as the sea: even as the strength of a king is as a weak man and the strength of a child is a cry.

8. Long-suffering, wakefulness, industry, almsgiving, mercy, prudence: these six things are the glory of kings, of rulers, and of parents. This is the glory they desire that are good.

9. In the world kings command but once; priests and teacherst speak but once; prophets§ teach but once and after their manner doeth || the good man that is worthy to be loved.

10. In the world the idle man is evil if he be married, so is the priest evil if he keep no guard over his body or his mouth or his heart: likewise is the king evil that doeth aught without thinking of it, and the wise man that is wrathful if his wrath escape him.

11. In whatsoever place there are many great men

each desiring to

be called a wise man and longing to be the chief of all: the work of those men cometh to nought.

*Or for four watches.

+ Or quiet or desolate.

Or Brahmans or Pongnas.

§ Or saints or gods and the holy.

Or followeth their teaching or doeth the law of their meaning.

Or chiefs.

12. Every king should of himself know his revenues whether they be less or more, and his provisions if they be enough or not: of himself he should know his servants if they do not their business; that he that is worthy of disgrace may be disgraced, and he that is worthy of greatness may be made greater.

13. In the world turn thy back toward the sun and thy belly to the fire, pay respect with thy whole body to the great man,* and by wisdom find a way to the world to come.†

14. In the world touch neither fire, nor water, nor a woman, nor a fool, nor a snake, nor a prince, but pass them by or instantly they will take away thy life.

15. In the world if any hath a bad wife, hath rude servants and evilminded, hath a snake in his house: verily he shall die.

16. In the world by teaching wisdom to him that is very foolish, by living with a very wicked wife, by keeping company with the unjust shalt thou become less even though thou art a wise man.

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17. In the world if the son do an evil deed thou sayest, His mother doeth it likewise if the disciple work evil thou sayest, The master doeth it : so if the people do wrong thou shalt say, It is the king that hath done this; and if the king himself do evil then shalt thou say, This is the work of the High Priest.

18. By his kindness§ a king should conquer him that is wrathful and proud, and him that is dishonest by his honesty: even as he overcometh the sour man by a present and by his truthfulness the liar.

19. In the world the rude man is tamed by a gift and by a gift cometh every good thing; for he that bringeth gifts and fair words gaineth respect from another because he payeth it.

20. Gifts and offerings bring|| love in the world, as a sour mind bringeth¶ hate: so also gifts and offerings bring|| many followers even as a sour mind bringeth¶ loneliness.

21. In the world thou canst conquer the enemy thou desirest to conquer, if he use not his advantage when it is great, for then thou becomest his equal: it is as thou makest a rope of grass and with it bindest an elephant.

22. A king that hath his fill of armies, if he be not able to conquer

*Or lord or master.

† Or offer respectfully thy back to the sun, thy belly to the fire, thy whole body to the great man, and thy wisdom to the world to come.

Or the Parohit or Chief Brahman,

§ Or without anger.

Or are the medicine or charm for.

Or is the medicine or charm for.

his enemies, what profiteth him his power? It is as a fire, that is kindled in a place where is no wind, that burneth not.

23. None gratifieth his lust as a king, so none taketh either his form, or his speech, or his ornaments,* or his clothing or his jewels or anything that is his.

24. The king is not my kinsmant; the king is not my wife's brother‡; the king is my master§: keep these alway in thy mind.

25. When thou waitest on the king stand not afar off; neither approach very close; nor go between him and the wind; nor keep in front of him; nor look from a place lower than he, nor yet from one that is higher : these six things thou shalt not do: keep thyself from these as thou guardest thyself from fire.

26. Be thy glory as the glory of the God that knoweth all things, if thou obtain not the favour of the king,|| it becometh thee not: for it behoveth the ruby that is of great price to be set in gold. Here endeth the book concerning kings.

CHAPTER VII.

1. How shall the priest do his duty that keepeth close acquaintance with a woman? or how shall he have a tender heart that eateth much of flesh? How shall he speak true words that drinketh strong drink? or he know shame that hath strong desire? How shall he obtain knowledge that is very idle? or he gather riches that grovelleth?

2. He that is a drunkard; that goeth abroad at wrong times; that goeth often times unto feasts; that is a gambler; that hath evil friends; that is an idler: he that doth these things cometh to destruction by reason of them.

3. In the day time speak not without looking first, and in the night time without asking first, but bear thyself as the hunter that is fearful of danger and looketh to and fro in the forest.

4. The prophet** Byasa saith of five kinds of men that they are dead while yet alive: these are they that are poor, that are sick, that are ignorant, that are debtors, that are about the king.

* Or his flowers and sweet smelling things.

† Or spouse.

Or sister's husband.

§ Or lord.

|| Or the refuge that is called the king.

¶ Or the ruby of great price if it be set in gold becometh goodly.

** Or teacher.

5. It is the wisdom* of the wise man that he seeth danger ere yet it cometh and avoideth it from afar, neither is he afraid when he seeth that it hath already fallen on him.

6. In the world he that sleepeth over much, that is forgetful, that taketh his ease, that hath much sickness, that is lazy, that is strong in his lusts,† that is eager for whatsoever is new: these seven know not the Scriptures.

7. Go to the poor, thou gift: for he that hath many gifts is surfeited. Go unto the valley, thou Angel of the Rain; for the sea is surfeited with water. Such is not the law, but the deed is thine own.§

8. In the world when any hath finished that he hath to do he regardeth it no more therefore when thou hast aught to do, leave undone a remainder thereof.

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9. In the world cotton is light, but lighter

is he that is wanton, and lighter still is he that hearkeneth not unto his parents and his teachers, and lighter yet than all is he that heedeth not the word of the excellent God.

10. In the world the sunshade** that is of stone is of worth,†† and of greater worth‡‡ is it to hearken to the Angels, and greater still is the worth of the instructions of thy teachers and parents, but the word of the excellent God is the most worthy§§ of all.

11. In the world thy right hand is called the slave of the body and his little finger the slave of the ear and the nose and the eyes, but the left hand is called the slave of the feet.

12. The angel|||| Kuwera dwelleth in the midst of the betel-leaf: at the bottom thereof there dwelleth a spirit¶¶ and at the top thereof there dwelleth a devil.*** Wherefore when thou eatest of it, cut off the top and the bottom thereof, and thou shalt be of good repute.

13. An angel of high degree††† guardeth the tablets; an angel of

*Or nature.

+ Or hath great desires.

Or the books.

§ Or this is not the law of nature, but the deed is the original cause.

Or careth no more for it.

T Or more worthless.

** Or htie or umbrella.

++ Or heavy.

‡‡ Or heavier.

§§ Or heaviest.

Or nàt or spirit.

¶¶ Or belu or sprite or yakkha.

*** Or he that is evil.

ttt Or a Brahma.

K K

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