Part 25

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"Death, that must come, comes nobly when we give Our wealth, and life, and all, to make men live."

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"Floating on his fearless pinions, lost amid the noonday skies, Even thence the Eagle's vision kens the carcass where it lies; But the hour that comes to all things comes unto the Lord of Air, And he rushes, madly blinded, to die helpless in the snare."

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Bar thy door not to the stranger, be he friend or be he foe, For the tree will shade the woodman while his axe doth lay it low.

Greeting fair, and room to rest in; fire, and water from the well-- Simple gifts--are given freely in the house where good men dwell;--

Young, or bent with many winters; rich, or poor whate'er thy guest, Honour him for thine own honour--better is he than the best.

"Pity them that crave thy pity: who art thou to stint thy hoard, When the holy moon shines equal on the leper and the lord?"

When thy gate is roughly fastened, and the asker turns away, Thence he bears thy good deeds with him, and his sins on thee doth lay.

In the house the husband ruleth; men the Brahman "master" call; Agni is the Twice-born's Master--but the guest is lord of all.

"He who does and thinks no wrong-- He who suffers, being strong-- He whose harmlessness men know-- Unto Swarga such doth go."

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"In the land where no wise men are, men of little wit are lords; And the castor-oil's a tree, where no tree else its shade affords."

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"Foe is friend, and friend is foe, As our actions make them so."

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"That friend only is the true friend who abides when trouble comes; That man only is the brave man who can bear the battle-drums; Words are wind; deed proveth promise: he who helps at need is kin; And the leal wife is loving though the husband lose or win."

"Friend and kinsman--more their meaning than the idle-hearted mind; Many a friend can prove unfriendly, many a kinsman less than kind: He who shares his comrade's portion, be he beggar, be he lord, Comes as truly, comes as duly, to the battle as the board-- Stands before the king to succour, follows to the pile to sigh-- He is friend, and he is kinsman; less would make the name a lie."

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"Stars gleam, lamps flicker, friends foretell of fate; The fated sees, knows, hears them--all too late."

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"Absent, flatterers' tongues are daggers--present, softer than the silk; Shun them! 'tis a draught of poison hidden under harmless milk; Shun them when they promise little! Shun them when they promise much! For enkindled, charcoal burneth--cold, it doth defile the touch."

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"In years, or moons, or half-moons three, Or in three days--suddenly, Knaves are shent--true men go free."

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"Anger comes to noble natures, but leaves there no strife or storm: Plunge a lighted torch beneath it, and the ocean grows not warm."

"Noble hearts are golden vases--close the bond true metals make; Easily the smith may weld them, harder far it is to break. Evil hearts are earthen vessels--at a touch they crack a-twain, And what craftsman's ready cunning can unite the shards again?"