A simple life of poverty
Is not a path to salvation.
A lavish life with property
Is not a path to damnation.
It’s neither wealth nor misery
It’s knowledge that will set you free.

akinchanye na moksho'sti kinchanye nasti bandhanam |
kinchanye chetare chaiva janturjnanena muchyate ||

The gems on earth without a price
Are water, food and wise advice.
And yet this world has priceless fools
Who think that scraps of stones are jewels.

prithivyam trini ratnani jalamannam subhashitam |
mudhaih pashanakhandeshu ratnasanjna vidhiyate ||

The world is full of experts who
Tell other people what to do.
The noble soul is one who does
The moral thing without a fuss.

paropadeshe pandityam sarvesham sukaram nrinam |
dharme svayamanushthanam kasyachittu mahatmanah ||

Don’t think about the past and cry
Nor think of all that’s next and sigh.
The one who sees with open eyes,
In today’s moment lives and dies.

gate shokam na kurvita bhavishyam naiva chintayet |
vartamaneshu kaleshu vartayanti vichakshanah ||

A fool is praised on his own turf,
A feudal lord by village serf,
A king is hailed by those he orders,
The wise are honored beyond borders.

svagrihe pujyate murkhah svagrame pujyate prabhuh |
svadeshe pujyate raja vidvan sarvatra pujyate ||

The silence of the wise is wise.
Like cuckoos under rainy skies,
Where frogs are croaking off their lungs,
It’s best for us to hold our tongues.

bhadram bhadram kritam maunam kokilairjaladagame |
vaktaro darduro yatra tatra maunam samacharet ||

A gift of food is good for the getter.
A gift of knowledge, even better.
Delight in eating's rather fleeting
But knowledge lasts while the heart is beating.

annadanam param danam vidya danam atah param |
annena kshanika triptih yavajjivam cha vidyayo ||

In autumn, clouds may loudly rumble,
But not a drop of rain will tumble.
When monsoons come, the clouds are silent
And yet they rain down hard and violent.

The fools who thunder, boom and roar
Accomplish nothing, nothing more.
The wise and calm and thoughtful one
Acts silently and gets things done.

sharadi na varshati garjati varshati varshashu nihsvano meghah |
nicho vadati na kurute vadati na sadhuh karotyeva ||

Speak the truth but speak it kindly.
Do not speak a truth unkindly.
Pleasing lies are not okay.
That’s the True Eternal Way.

satyam bruyatpriyam bruyat na bruyat satyamapriyam |
priyam cha nanritam bruyat eshadharmassanatanah ||