Virtue

Poem : 191

Words without sense, while chafe the wise,
Who babbles, him will all despise.

Explanation :
He who to the disgust of many speaks useless things will be despised by all.

Poem : 192

Words without sense, where many wise men hear, to pour
Than deeds to friends ungracious done offendeth more.

Explanation :
To speak useless things in the presence of many is a greater evil than to do unkind things towards friends.

Poem : 193

Diffusive speech of useless words proclaims
A man who never righteous wisdom gains.

Explanation :
That conversation in which a man utters forth useless things will say of him "he is without virtue."

Poem : 194

Unmeaning, worthless words, said to the multitude,
To none delight afford, and sever men from good.

Explanation :
The words devoid of profit or pleasure which a man speaks will, being inconsistent with virtue, remove him from goodness.

Poem : 195

Gone are both fame and boasted excellence,
When men of worth speak of words devoid of sense.

Explanation :
If the good speak vain words their eminence and excellence will leave them.

Poem : 196

Who makes display of idle words' inanity,
Call him not man, -chaff of humanity!

Explanation :
Call not him a man who parades forth his empty words. Call him the chaff of men.

Poem : 197

Let those who list speak things that no delight afford,
'Tis good for men of worth to speak no idle word.

Explanation :
Let the wise if they will, speak things without excellence; it will be well for them not to speak useless things.

Poem : 198

The wise who weigh the worth of every utterance,
Speak none but words of deep significance.

Explanation :
The wise who seek after rare pleasures will not speak words that have not much weight in them.

Poem : 199

The men of vision pure, from wildering folly free,
Not e'en in thoughtless hour, speak words of vanity.

Explanation :
Those wise men who are without faults and are freed from ignorance will not even forgetfully speak things that profit not.

Poem : 200

If speak you will, speak words that fruit afford,
If speak you will, speak never fruitless word.

Explanation :
Speak what is useful, and speak not useless words.