Chapter 93: Not Drinking Palm-Wine

921.
Who love the palm's intoxicating juice, each day,
No rev'rence they command, their glory fades away.

922.
Drink not inebriating draught. Let him count well the cost
Who drinks. By drinking, all good men's esteem is lost.

923.
The drunkard's joy is sorrow to his mother's eyes;
What must it be in presence of the truly wise?

924.
Shame, goodly maid, will turn her back for aye on them
Who sin the drunkard's grievous sin, that all condemn.

925.
With gift of goods who self-oblivion buys,
Is ignorant of all that man should prize.

926.
Sleepers are as the dead, no otherwise they seem;
Who drink intoxicating draughts, they poison quaff, we deem.

927.
Who turn aside to drink, and droop their heavy eye,
Shall be their townsmen's jest, when they the fault espy.

928.
No more in secret drink, and then deny thy bidden fraud;
What in thy mind lies hid shall soon be known abroad.

929.
Like him who, lamp in hand, would seek one sunk beneath the wave,
Is he who strives to sober drunken man with reasonings grave.

930.
When one, in sober interval, a drunken man espies,
Does he not think, ' Such is my folly in my revelries '?