Virtue

Poem : 301

Where thou hast power thy angry will to work, thy wrath restrain;
Where power is none, what matter if thou check or give it rein?

Explanation :
He restrains his anger who restrains it when it can injure; when it cannot injure, what does it matter whether he restrain it, or not ?

Poem : 302

Where power is none to wreak thy wrath, wrath importent is ill;
Where thou hast power thy will to work, 'tis greater, evil still.

Explanation :
Anger is bad, even when it cannot injure; when it can injure; there is no greater evil.

Poem : 303

If any rouse thy wrath, the trespass straight forget;
For wrath an endless train of evils will beget.

Explanation :
Forget anger towards every one, as fountains of evil spring from it.

Poem : 304

Wrath robs the face of smiles, the heart of joy,
What other foe to man works such annoy?

Explanation :
Is there a greater enemy than anger, which kills both laughter and joy ?

Poem : 305

If thou would'st guard thyself, guard against wrath alway;
'Gainst wrath who guards not, him his wrath shall slay.

Explanation :
If a man would guard himself, let him guard against anger; if he do not guard it, anger will kill him.

Poem : 306

Wrath, the fire that slayeth whose draweth near,
Will burn the helpful 'raft' of kindred dear.

Explanation :
The fire of anger will burn up even the pleasant raft of friendship.

Poem : 307

The hand that smites the earth unfailing feels the sting;
So perish they who nurse their wrath as noble thing.

Explanation :
Destruction will come upon him who ragards anger as a good thing, as surely as the hand of him who strikes the ground will not fail.

Poem : 308

Though men should work thee woe, like touch of tongues of fire.
'Tis well if thou canst save thy soul from burning ire.

Explanation :
Though one commit things against you as painful (to bear) as if a bundle of fire had been thrust upon you, it will be well, to refrain, if possible, from anger.

Poem : 309

If man his soul preserve from wrathful fires,
He gains with that whate'er his soul desires.

Explanation :
If a man never indulges anger in his heart, he will at once obtain whatever he has thought of.

Poem : 310

Men of surpassing wrath are like the men who've passed away;
Who wrath renounce, equals of all-renouncing sages they.

Explanation :
Those, who give way to excessive anger, are no better than dead men; but those, who are freed from it, are equal to those who are freed (from death).