Section 43. On Wisdom By St. Thriuvalluvar Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

421. Wisdom is the weapon to avert ruin.
An impregnable inner fortress even to implacable foes!
422. Wisdom reins the wavering mind.
It wards off evil and guides it to ways refined.
423. Whatever we learn from whoever’s chirp,
it is wisdom that discerns the truth out of it.
424. The wise do make lucid and indelible speech,
and grasp the nub of the discourse of others.
425. The wise embrace the friendship of the great
as it neither widens nor shrinks but be the same ever.
426. The wise strive to be in harmony in the ways,
in which the world thrives.
427. The wise aware before of the coming events
but the foolish do not discern them.
428. To be fearless to fearsome is folly.
To be fearful is wisdom.
429. The wise have no sudden shock to feel
as they foresee the teething trouble.
430. The wise are blessed with things of all.
The foolish own none though they have everything.