The Kural or the Maxims of Tiruvalluvar/Chapter 84
CHAPTER 84
FOLLY
831. Dost thou want to know what folly is ? It is the throwing away of that which is profitable and the holding fast to that which is hurtful.
832. The chiefest among all kinds of folly is the folly of inclining the heart towards conduct that is unbecoming to oneself.
833. The fool is neglectful of duties and rude of speech, and callous to all sense of shame: and he will cherish nothing that is good.
834. There is a man that is learned and subtle and a teacher of others, and yet continueth to be the slave of his passions himself : there is no greater fool than he.
835. The fool hath the gift of sowing in one birth the seeds of misery for all his future incarnations.
836. Behold the fool that taketh in his hand an enterprise of moment: he will not merely spoil it, he will qualify also for fetters.
837. If the fool should come by a great fortune it is strangers that will feast and his kindred will only starve.
838. If the fool obtaineth anything of value he will behave like a madman who is also grown tipsy.
839. Greatly delectable is the friendship of fools : one feeleth no pangs when one parteth from them.
840. Even as is the placing of an unwashed foot on the couch, even so is the entrance of the fool in an assembly of men of worth.
