Page:The Praises of Amida, 1907.djvu/78

 5. We need not look far for illustrations of this. When a poor man lives as a poor man, he is free from care; but he is often not satisfied unless he is reputed to be rich. He will borrow money to buy himself fine clothes, and will stoop to all sorts of meanness in order to live in a grand house. A man whose knowledge is limited may get on very well, so long as he does not pretend to be wiser than he actually is; but let him once go beyond the narrow limits of his knowledge, and he will bring himself into all manner of difficulties; for even if he avoid actual difficulties, he will certainly disturb his own peace of mind. Sometimes, too, when a man has brought himself into trouble, he might, by an open confession of his error, get himself out of his entanglement, with comparatively little inconvenience either to himself or his friends. But no: he puts on a brave face, and keeps the mischief to himself, till he ends by bringing no end of trouble on himself and others. Or else, he finds his efforts at concealment have been like the struggles of a flea that buries its head