Thousands

100. Even though a speech be a thousand (of words), but made up of senseless words, one word of sense is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.

100. Even a speech of a thousand meaningless words is worth less than one meaningful word. If a person hears that meaningful word, they become calm.

101. Even though a Gatha (poem) be a thousand (of words), but made up of senseless words, one word of a Gatha is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.

101. Even if a Gatha (poem) has a thousand meaningless words, one word from a Gatha is better if hearing it brings a person peace.

102. Though a man recite a hundred Gathas made up of senseless words, one word of the law is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.

102. Though a man recites a hundred Gathas filled with meaningless words, one word of the teaching is better. If a man hears that word, he becomes calm.

103. If one man conquer in battle a thousand times thousand men, and if another conquer himself, he is the greatest of conquerors.

103. If one man defeats a million men in battle, and another conquers himself, the second is the greatest conqueror.

104, 105. One's own self conquered is better than all other people; not even a god, a Gandharva, not Mara with Brahman could change into defeat the victory of a man who has vanquished himself, and always lives under restraint.

104, 105. Conquering yourself is better than conquering all other people. A man who has conquered himself and always lives with self-restraint has won a victory. Not even a god, a Gandharva, or Mara together with Brahman could turn that victory into defeat.

106. If a man for a hundred years sacrifice month after month with a thousand, and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded (in true knowledge), better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred years.

106. If a man sacrifices a thousand every month for a hundred years, but also briefly honors a man whose soul is grounded (in true knowledge), even that moment of respect is better than a hundred years of sacrifice.

107. If a man for a hundred years worship Agni (fire) in the forest, and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded (in true knowledge), better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred years.

107. If a man worships Agni (fire) in the forest for a hundred years, but honors a man whose soul is grounded (in true knowledge) for just a moment, that moment of honor is better. That brief homage is better than a hundred years of sacrifice.

108. Whatever a man sacrifice in this world as an offering or as an oblation for a whole year in order to gain merit, the whole of it is not worth a quarter (a farthing); reverence shown to the righteous is better.

108. Whatever offerings or sacrifices a man makes in this world for a whole year to gain merit, they amount to little. All those offerings together are not worth a quarter (a farthing). Showing respect to the righteous is better.

109. He who always greets and constantly reveres the aged, four things will increase to him, viz. life, beauty, happiness, power.

109. Whoever always greets and consistently honors the elderly will gain four things: longer life, beauty, happiness, and power.

110. But he who lives a hundred years, vicious and unrestrained, a life of one day is better if a man is virtuous and reflecting.

110. But living a hundred years in wickedness and without self-control is not as good as living one day virtuously and thoughtfully.

111. And he who lives a hundred years, ignorant and unrestrained, a life of one day is better if a man is wise and reflecting.

111. And a hundred years lived in ignorance and without self-control are worth less than one day if a person is wise and thoughtful.

112. And he who lives a hundred years, idle and weak, a life of one day is better if a man has attained firm strength.

112. And a hundred years lived in idleness and weakness are worth less than a single day lived with firm strength.

113. And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing beginning and end, a life of one day is better if a man sees beginning and end.

113. Living a hundred years without seeing beginning and end is not as good as living one day if you see beginning and end.

114. And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the immortal place, a life of one day is better if a man sees the immortal place.

114. Living a hundred years without seeing the immortal place is not as good as living one day if you see the immortal place.

115. And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the highest law, a life of one day is better if a man sees the highest law.

115. Living a hundred years without seeing the highest law is not as good as living one day seeing it.