Tirukural/Chapter 40

391 - So learn that you may full and faultless learning gain, Then in obedience meet to lessons learnt remain.

Let a man learn thoroughly whatever he may learn, and let his conduct be worthy of his learning.

392 - The twain that lore of numbers and of letters give Are eyes, the wise declare, to all on earth that live.

Letters and numbers are the two eyes of man.

393 - Men who learning gain have eyes, men say; Blockheads' faces pairs of sores display.

The learned are said to have eyes, but the unlearned have (merely) two sores in their face.

394 - You meet with joy, with pleasant thought you part; Such is the learned scholar's wonderous art!

It is the part of the learned to give joy to those whom they meet, and on leaving, to make them think (Oh! when shall we meet them again.)

395 - With soul submiss they stand, as paupers front a rich man's face; Yet learned men are first; th'unlearned stand in lowest place.

The unlearned are inferior to the learned, before whom they stand begging, as the destitute before the wealthy.

396 - In sandy soil, when deep you delve, you reach the springs below; The more you learn, the freer streams of wisdom flow.

Water will flow from a well in the sand in proportion to the depth to which it is dug, and knowledge will flow from a man in proportion to his learning.

397 - The learned make each land their own, in every city find a home; Who, till they die; learn nought, along what weary ways they roam!

How is it that any one can remain without learning, even to his death, when (to the learned man) every country is his own (country), and every town his own (town) ?

398 - The man who store of learning gains, In one, through seven worlds, bliss attains.

The learning, which a man has acquired in one birth, will yield him pleasure during seven births.

399 - Their joy is joy of all the world, they see; thus more The learners learn to love their cherished lore.

The learned will long (for more learning), when they see that while it gives pleasure to themselves, the world also derives pleasure from it.

400 - Learning is excellence of wealth that none destroy; To man nought else affords reality of joy. Learning is the true imperishable riches; all other things are not riches.