Verses 620–629

620. They who compare the breasts of an young woman to balls of flowers--the worthless wretches who are captivated in this earth. There is a lump of flesh there--what else is there?

621. He who lives after losing his character be he who he may, can he have any distinction? What dog will not lick a dirty dish (spittle leaf)?

622. Fools cry for food, food, If they cannot get wealth. Can they procure food? How should you fail of food if you have wealth--however many scarcities should occur.

623. When a man has lost his refuge let him not draw near to one in poverty. But he should go to him, he will turn him into a mere straw (with which platters are served) or into ashes.

624. One cannot give his sorrow to another; nor one can share his happiness with another. Those who feel either sorrow or good cannot know its intrinsic qualities (lit. semblance). Surely time (Pluto) shall know their true nature.

625. Hitherto ignorant to a miracle of what he himself is doing, born as a man yet unknowing both evil and good, he has sunk down to predication,

626. Like as honey is produced in a hillock (or ant-hill), like as a ruby is produced on hill, like as fire is produced in a stick--thus produced in the earth; let a man bestow on others.

627. Of what use is the man who when the wearied guest asks food compounds not for him, the nine condiments with salt, to quench his exhaustion. The disappointed guest remains unfilled.

628. They call the crow the most degraded of birds. None perceiveth the excellence of the crow in the earth. Man gives food to the crows and worships their feet. (This alludes to a practice of commencing a meal by giving a morsel to the crows.)

629. They say that the crow is the most degraded of birds. At the time of marriages they will not let the crow approach. Then why do you place food before it and salute it?