Knowing The Assembly [from 'proverbs 400' In Tamil] Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

17. O, wench with beetles seeking sword-like eyes!
The wise seek the willing listeners to quote
What they've learnt. The wise don't enter
councils with the matter of little learning.

18. O, Chief of the hill tracts! It isn't good
to two men in discard speak at the same time.
After one tells one's stance, comes the second's turn.
Two men shouldn't go for hunting with one dog.

19. Before the questioner and the answerer
discuss and tell a word, if one jumps turn
and gives an answer different, it likens
dressing at the nose for the wound at the foot.

20. O, Chief of the babbling brooks flowing o'er rocks!
Fear the blockheads who don't learn, listen but dare
speak in the council of the wise. Even
the gods are tongue-tied before the mean men.

21. The base persons penetrate the group of those
with wide knowledge and utter worthless words
like the one ill-versed in singing dares to
enter the town of minstrels to sing.

22. Knowing not their honour and shame, the stupids,
penetrate into the group of the wise,
raise questions and give answers. It's laughable.
It is catching the teeth of an elephant.

23. The stupids join the low-born and win them
saying vile things. They pierce the group of the wise
scoff at their wisdom and make them tongue-tied.
It's like eating worms in pepper than the food.

24. To hold tongue before the wise and praise oneself
in the gang of the low-born, likens one fears
the brave foe, stands before one's house, string the bow
and shoot the arrows between the boats.

25. In a gang of the vile who have no worries
and knowledge of good and bad but mental strength,
if one says strengthening words to a thug
it is like draining mango juice in the sea.