CV
Indigence
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Wantest thou to know what is more galling than indigence? then know that indigence alone is more galling than indigence.
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Caitiff Indigence is an enemy to the joys of this life as well as of the next.
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The itching that goeth by the name of Indigence killeth dignity of demeanour and refinement of speech, even though they run in the very blood.
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Want will drive even men of high family to forget their dignity and to speak the language of abject servility.
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There are a thousand mortifications concealed underneath this one curse called poverty.
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The words of the indigent will carry no weight even when they expound grand truths with masterly skill and knowledge.
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The poverty that is divorced from virtue will estrange even the mother that bore him from the side of the miserable wretch.
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Is Indigence to bear me company even today? It tormented me but only yesterday even unto death.39
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It is possible to go to sleep even in the midst of flames: but it is impossible to get even a wink of sleep in the midst of poverty.
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The one way open to the indigent is to renounce utterly, their lives: their not doing so is but death to salt and rice-water.40
CVI
Begging
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Thou mayest beg if thou seest men that can afford to do charity: if they feign inability, it is their fault, not thine.
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Even begging will be a pleasure if thou canst obtain what thou beggest without suffering any humiliation.
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There is a charm even in begging, at the hands of those who understand their duty and do not falsely pretend inability to help.
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Behold the man who sayeth not nay to a request even in a dream: begging at the hands of such a man is as honourable as bestowing itself.
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If men take freely to begging as a means of livelihood, it is because there are men in the world that refuse not alms.
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Behold the men that have not the churlishness to deny charity: the pangs of poverty would cease at the very sight of them.
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Behold the men that give without snubbing or huffing the beggar: the heart of the beggar rejoiceth when he meeteth them.
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If there were none to beg for alms, the whole world would have no more interest than a dance of marionettes.41
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Where would be the glory of men of a liberal hand if there were none in the world to beg of them?
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Let not the beggar scowl when a man pleadeth inability to give: for his own need should be enough to show bim that another may be in like condition.
CVII
The Dread of Beggary
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The man that beggeth not is ten million times worthier than he that beggeth, even though it be only at the hands of men that give lovingly and with all their heart.
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If He that made the earth intended that man should live even by begging, may He wander about the world and perish.
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Nothing is hardier than the hardihood that sayeth to itself, I shall put an end to my indigence by begging.
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Behold the dignity that consenteth not to beg even when reduced to utter destitution: even the whole universe is too small to hold it.
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Though it is only gruel thin as water, nothing is more savoury than the food that is earned by the labour of one’s hands.
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Even if what thou beggest is only water for the cow, nothing is so humiliating to the tongue to utter as a begging prayer.
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Of all that beg I shall beg but this one thing: If ye needs must beg, beg not of those that shirk.
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The hapless ship called begging will split the moment that it striketh the rock of dodging.
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The heart melteth even when it contemplateth the lot of the beggar: but when it thinketh on the rebuffs that he receiveth, it simply dieth away.
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Where doth the life of the dodger hide itself when he sayeth nay? At the mere sound of his rebuff the life of the beggar ebbeth away!42
CVIII
The Degraded Life
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How they take after men, these degraded ones! We have never seen likeness so exact!
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Happier than men of conscience are these despicable ones! For they never have any pangs of the mind to feel.
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Like unto very Gods are the base ones on earth! For they too are a law unto themselves.
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When the degenerate meeteth a reprobate, he would outbeat him in his vices and pride himself on the achievement.
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Fear is the only motive force of degenerates: if there is any other at all, it is appetite, and it availeth just a little.
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Like unto a tomtom are the base ones: for they cannot rest without giving out to others the secrets that are entrusted to them.
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The degenerate would grudge even to jerk his hands moistened with food, save to those that can break his jaw with clenched fists.
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The worthy can be commanded by a simple word: but, like the sugarcane, the low can be made to give only by a sound thrashing.
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It is enough if he seeth a neighbour clothed and fed: the vile man can always discover vices in his character.
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What is the resource of the degenerate when misfortune befalleth him? He hath but one, and that is to sell himself as quickly as possible.
Part III
Love
Section I
The Secret Marriage
CIX
The Wound That Beauty Inflicteth
He43
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The jewelled form that appeareth yonder, is it a Goddess? or a peacock chosen from among its kind? or is it simply a lovely maid? Verily I am too dazed to tell.
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How would it fare with men if the fascinating siren of the solitudes44 assail them with a whole host behind her? So fareth it with me when the lovely one returneth my look.
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I never
