Birds of a feather flock together

ययोरेव समं वित्तम्
ययोरेव समं कुलम् ।
तयोः सख्यं विवाहश्च
न तु पुष्टविपुष्टयोः ॥

- महाभारतम्

- पञ्चतन्त्रम्

Friendship or marriage is possible only between those who are equal in wealth as well as family status, and not between rich and poor.

Like likes like.
Birds of a feather flock together.

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A beggar's wallet is never full

तृणं लघु तृणात्तूलम्
तूलादपि च याचकः ।
वायुना किं न नीतोऽसौ
मामयं प्रार्थयेदिति ॥

- चाणक्यनीतिः

Grass is light and cotton is lighter than a blade of grass. A beggar is in fact even lighter (inferior) compared to cotton. Why then is he still not carried away by the wind? It is because he is so shameless that he does not hesitate to beg money even from the wind.

A beggar's wallet is never full.
Don't be misled by the tears of a beggar.
When it rains porridge, the beggar has no spoon.

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See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil

दुर्जनेन समं सख्यम्
वैरञ्चापि न कारयेत् ।
उष्णो दहति चाङ्गारः
शीतः कृष्णायते करम् ॥

- हितोपदेशः

One should neither have friendship nor enmity with an evil man. Coal when hot, burns and when it is cold, blackens the hand.

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
Better to be alone than in a bad company.
Non-cooperation with evil is a sacred duty.
Do not envy evil men, nor desire their company.

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Mathematics is the queen of the Sciences

यथा शिखा मयूराणाम्
नागानां मणयो यथा ।
तथा वेदाङ्गशास्त्राणां
गणितं मूर्ध्नि वर्तते ॥

- वेदाङ्गः (ज्योतिश्शस्त्रम्)

As are the crests of peacocks that adorn their heads, as are the gems of cobras that are held on their hoods, so is Mathematics placed at the top of all Sciences.

Mathematics is the language of nature.
Mathematics is the queen of the Sciences.

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When it rains, it pours

खल्वाटो दिवसेश्वरस्य किरणैस्सन्तापितो मस्तके
वाञ्छन्देशमनातपं विधिवशात्तालस्य मूलं गतः ।
तत्राप्यस्य महाफलेन पतता भग्नं सशब्दं शिरः
प्रायो गच्छति यत्र भाग्यरहितस्तत्रैव यान्त्यापदः ॥

- नीतिशतकम्

A bald man scorched by the rays on sun on his head, seeking shade, guided by his fate, took shelter under a palm tree hoping to get some relief. But then, a big fruit fell from the tree, with a loud noise broke his head and killed him. Usually, troubles always follow an unlucky person wherever he goes.

When it rains, it pours.
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

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When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

विप्रास्मिन्नगरे महान्कथय कस्तालद्रुमाणां गणः
को दाता रजको ददाति वसनं प्रातर्गृहीत्वा निशि ।
को दक्षः परवित्तदारहरणे सर्वोऽपि दक्षो जनः
कस्माज्जीवसि हे सखे विषकृमिन्यायेन जीवाम्यहम् ॥

- चाणक्यनीतिः

A conversation between a Brahmin who dwells in a city and a newly arrived stranger.
"O Brahmin, tell me, who in this city is noble-minded."
"A bunch of palm trees"
"Who is a generous giver (in this city)?"
"The laundryman, who collects clothes every morning and promptly gives them back in the night."
"Who is skillful?"
"Everyone is an expert in robbing others of their wealth and wives."
"O my friend, how do you live in such a city?"
"I live by the maxim of worms in poison."
(The maxim of a worm in poison states that such a worm is accustomed to its environment and is unaffected by the poison)

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Everything looks perfect from far away.
Be the change you want to see in the world.

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A verse a day keeps the devil away

श्लोकेन वा तदर्धेन
पादेनैकाक्षरेण वा ।
अवन्ध्यं दिवसं कुर्यात्
दानाध्ययनकर्मभिः ॥

- चाणक्यनीतिः

One should make his (every) day productive by studying a verse, or a half of it, or a fourth, or even a single letter of it, and also by generous donations (to the needy).

Slow but steady wins the race.
A verse a day keeps the devil away.
Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.

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Age is no guarantee of maturity

आदौ चित्ते ततः काये
सतां सञ्जायते जरा ।
असतां च पुनः काये
नैव चित्ते कदाचन ॥

- पञ्चतन्त्रम्

In case of virtuous people, old age sets first in mind and later in body. On the other hand, the body of a wicked person keeps aging but his mind never matures.

Wisdom doesn't necessarily come with age.
Growing old is mandatory.
Growing up is optional.
Age is no guarantee of maturity.

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Much wants more and loses all

पिपीलिकार्जितं धान्यम्
मक्षिकासञ्चितं मधु ।
लुब्धेन सञ्चितं द्रव्यम्
समूलञ्च विनश्यति ॥

The grains collected by ants, the honey collected by bees and the wealth collected by greedy get rooted out completely without any trace.

Much wants more and loses all.
Greed loses all by striving to gain all.

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A gem, though precious, requires a gold setting

गुणैः सर्वज्ञतुल्योऽपि
सीदत्येको निराश्रयः ।
अनर्घ्यमपि माणिक्यम्
हेमाश्रयमपेक्षते ॥

- चाणक्यनीतिः

Even the one whose qualities are comparable to those of the all-knowing, struggles without patronage. A gem, though precious, requires a gold setting.

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Believe in yourself

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानम्
नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुः
आत्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥

– भगवद्गीता

One should strive and employ oneself to uplift oneself. One should never dishonor oneself. The self is one's friend as well as one's enemy.

Self help is the best help.
Believe in yourself and all that you are.

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He who walks with the wise grows wise

मन्दोऽप्यमन्दतामेति
संसर्गेण विपश्चितः ।
पङ्कच्छिदः फलस्येव
निकषेणाविलं पयः ॥

- मालविकाग्निमित्रम्

Even a dull person becomes sharp by keeping company with the wise, just like the turbid water which becomes clear when treated with the dust-removing fruit.

He who walks with the wise grows wise.
A man is known by the company he keeps.

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A friend in need is a friend indeed

आपत्काले तु सम्प्राप्ते
यन्मित्रं मित्रमेव तत् ।
वृद्धिकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते
दुर्जनोऽपि सुहृद्भवेत् ॥

- पञ्चतन्त्रम्

Whoever is friendly in adversity, is indeed a true friend. In prosperity, even a wicked person wants to be a friend.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.
It is prosperity that gives us friends, adversity that proves them.

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All that is gold does not glitter

नारिकेलसमाकारा
दृश्यन्ते हि सुहृज्जनाः ।
अन्ये बदरिकाकारा
बहिरेव मनोहराः ॥

- हितोपदेशः

Good-hearted people seem to be formed like coconuts (hard on the outside, soft and sweet within). Others are like jujube fruits which are attractive only on the outside.

Appearances are deceptive.
All that is gold does not glitter.
Do not judge a book by its cover.

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A honey tongue, a heart of gall

दुर्जनैरुच्यमानानि
संमतानि प्रियाण्यपि ।
अकालकुसुमानीव
भयं सञ्जनयन्ति हि ॥

- हितोपदेशः

The words spoken by wicked people, though pleasant and agreeable, generate fear like the flowers blossoming out of season.

Appearances can be deceptive.
A honey tongue, a heart of gall.
Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing.

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A silent fool is counted wise

मूर्खोऽपि शोभते तावत्
सभायां वस्त्रवेष्टितः ।
तावच्च शोभते मूर्खः
यावत्किञ्चिन्न भाषते ॥

- हितोपदेशः

Even a fool shines in an assembly (of the wise) if he is well dressed. So long does a fool shine as long as he says nothing.

Silence is a virtue of fools.
A silent fool is counted wise.
Better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

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United we stand

परस्परविरोधे तु
वयं पञ्च च ते शतम् ।
अन्यैः साकं विरोधे तु
वयं पञ्चाधिकं शतम् ॥

While fighting among ourselves, we are five and they are hundred. For an enemy outside, we are one hundred and five.

(During their exile in forest, when Yudhisthira discovers that Gandharva tribes have captured the Kuru prince Duryodhana, he says it is the duty of Pandavas to help Kauravas and commands his brothers to fight Gandharvas.)

Unity is strength.
United we stand. Divided we fall.

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Nothing but fame, lasts forever

चलं वित्तं चलं चित्तम्
चले जीवितयौवने ।
चलाचलमिदं सर्वम्
कीर्तिर्यस्य स जीवति ॥

Wealth is transient, Mind is unstable. Youth and life are temporary. Everything in this world is short-lived, but the one who has acquired fame lives forever.

Nothing but fame, lasts forever.

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A light purse is a heavy curse

अपुत्रस्य गृहं शून्यम्
सन्मित्ररहितस्य च ।
मूर्खस्य च दिशः शून्याः
सर्वशून्या दरिद्रता ॥

- हितोपदेशः

Empty is a house for a childless person, and also for the one without any good friends. All the directions are empty for a fool. Importantly, everything is empty wherever there is poverty.

A light purse is a heavy curse.

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Don't blame the mirror if your face is faulty

पत्रं नैव यदा करीरविटपे दोषो वसन्तस्य किम्
नोलूकोऽप्यवलोकते यदि दिवा सूर्यस्य किं दूषणम् ।
धारा नैव पतन्ति चातकमुखे मेघस्य किं दूषणम्
यत्पूर्वं विधिना ललाटलिखितं तन्मार्जितुं कः क्षमः ॥

- चाणक्यनीतिः

- नीतिशतकम्

If there is not even a single leaf on the branches of Karir tree, how can the spring season be held responsible? Why should the Sun be blamed if owl cannot see during the day? Is it the fault of cloud if the drops of rain do not fall into the mouth of Chataka bird? Who is able to erase what's already written by fate on one's forehead?
(Chataka is a mythical bird which depends only on drops of rain to quench its thirst)

Don't blame the mirror if your face is faulty.

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Always forgive your enemies

क्षमा शस्त्रं करे यस्य
दुर्जनः किं करिष्यति ।
अतृणे पतितो वह्निः
स्वयमेवोपशाम्यति ॥

What can a wicked person do to someone who is equipped with the weapon of forgiveness? Fire fallen on a grassless land gets extinguished by itself.

Always forgive your enemies, nothing annoys them more.
There is no revenge as sweet as forgiveness.

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Between two evils it is not worth choosing

दुर्जनः परिहर्तव्यः
विद्यया भूषितोऽपि सन् ।
मणिनालङ्कृतः सर्पः
किमसौ न भयङ्करः ॥

- नीतिशतकम्

- हितोपदेशः

One should avoid wicked people even if they are adorned with the quality of education. Isn't a snake decorated with jewels dreadful?

The lesser of two evils is still evil.
Between two evils it is not worth choosing.

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You can't polish a turd

न दुर्जनः साधुदशामुपैति
बहुप्रकारैरपि शिक्ष्यमाणः ।
आमूलसिक्तः पयसा घृतेन
न निम्बवृक्षो मधुरत्वमेति ॥

- चाणक्यनीतिः

A wicked person never turns virtuous though advised in several ways. A neem tree never attains sweetness even if wetted with milk and ghee thoroughly from the root to leaves.

You can't polish a turd.
Never try to teach a pig to sing.
It wastes your time and it annoys the pig.
You cannot wash charcoal white.

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Greed is the root of all evil

लोभात्क्रोधः प्रभवति
लोभात्कामः प्रजायते ।
लोभान्मोहश्च नाशश्च
लोभः पापस्य कारणम् ॥

- हितोपदेशः

Greed gives rise to the emotion of anger. Greed is the source of lust. Affection originates from greed and leads to destruction. Thus, greed is the root cause for evil.

Much wants more and loses all.
Greed is the root of all evil.

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Variety is the spice of life

पिण्डे पिण्डे मतिर्भिन्ना
कुण्डे कुण्डे नवं पयः ।
जातौ जातौ नवाचारा
नवा वाणी मुखे मुखे ॥

Opinions vary from person to person.
The taste of water from each source is distinct.
Diverse are the customs of different cultures.
Different are the words (languages) that different mouths speak.

Variety is the spice of life.
It takes all kinds to make a world.

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Listen before you speak

ईक्षणं द्विगुणं प्रोक्ताम्
भाषणस्येति वेधसा ।
अक्षि द्वे मनुष्याणाम्
जिव्हा त्वैकेव निर्मिता ॥

It is said that perceiving (and understanding) is twice as much important as speaking. This is why the creator (or nature) has provided us with two eyes, and just one tongue.

Listen before you speak.

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Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong

एकः क्षमावतां दोषो द्वितीयो नोपलभ्यते ।
यदेनं क्षमया युक्तमशक्तं मन्यते जनः ॥
सोऽस्य दोषो न मन्तव्यः क्षमा हि परमं बलम् ।
क्षमा गुणो ह्यशक्तानां शक्तानां भूषणं तथा ॥

– विदुरनीतिः

Those who forgive are usually misunderstood by people as being weak. This is the only disadvantage of forgiving nature and there is no other. One should not think of forgiving nature as weakness. Forgiveness is a admirable quality of the weak folk, and it is an ornament of the strong.

To err is human, to forgive, divine.
Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.

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A penny shared is a penny well-spent

दातव्यं भोक्तव्यं सति
विभवे सञ्चयो न कर्तव्यः ।
पश्येह मधुकरीणां
सञ्चितमर्थं हरन्त्यन्ये ॥

One should spend (invest) and donate, and never hoard the wealth that is earned. We can see that the honey hived up by bees ends up being stolen by others.

A penny earned is a penny lost.
A penny shared is a penny well-spent.

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A fool wonders, a wise man asks

अपृष्ट्वैव भवेन्मूढः
ज्ञानं मनसि चिन्तनात् ।
अपूर्णः कुरुते शब्दम्
न पूर्णः कुरुते घटः ॥

One turns foolish by wondering about knowledge in mind without asking (others). A pot, not full, makes sound (thereby asking you to fill it), but not the one that is full.

Curiosity is the key to knowledge.
A fool wonders, a wise man asks.
There is no such thing as a stupid question.
He who asks a question is a fool for a minute.
He who does not remains a fool forever.A fool wonders, a wise man asks.

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Death pays all debts

मरणान्तानि वैराणि
निर्वृत्तं नः प्रयोजनम् ।
क्रियतामस्य संस्कारो
ममाप्येष यथा तव ॥

- रामायणम्

"Hostilities should end with death (of the enemy). Our purpose (victory over Ravana) has been accomplished. Let his funeral rites be performed. He is as much mine as he is yours."
(After the death of Ravana, Rama advices Vibhishana to perform his funeral rites).

Death pays all debts.

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