“A learned man is honored by the people. A learned man commands respect everywhere for his learning. Indeed, learning is honored everywhere.”

Union in privacy (with one’s wife); boldness; storing away useful items; watchfulness; and not easily trusting others; these five things are to be learned from a crow.

The life of an uneducated man is as useless as the tail of a dog which neither covers its rear end, nor protects it from the bites of insects.

There is no austerity equal to a balanced mind, and there is no happiness equal to contentment; there is no disease like covetousness, and no virtue like mercy.

One whose knowledge is confined to books and whose wealth is in the possession of others, can use neither his knowledge nor wealth when the need for them arises.

He who gives up shyness in monetary dealings, in acquiring knowledge, in eating and in business, becomes happy.

A person becomes great not be sitting on some high seat, but through higher qualities. Can a crow become an eagle by simply sitting on the top of a palatial building?

Avoid him who talks sweetly before you but tries to ruin you behind your back, for he is like a pitcher of poison with milk on top.

A man is great by deeds, not by birth.

The foolish wish to speak out what was spoken in secret by the master.

Purity of speech, of the mind, of the senses, and of a compassionate heart are needed by one who desires to rise to the divine platform.

Sinfully acquired wealth may remain for ten years; in the eleventh year it disappears with even the original stock.

Charity puts and end to poverty; righteous conduct to misery; discretion to ignorance; and scrutiny to fear.

Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness.

As long as your body is healthy and under control and death is distant, try to save your soul; when death is immanent what can you do?

One’s weakness should not ever be revealed.

When one is consumed by the sorrows of life, three things give him relief: offspring, a wife, and the company of the Lord’s devotees.

The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.

Growing up poor, I didn’t even have a lunch to take to school.

I used to play baseball. I was playing even in high school.

If there is to be any permanent improvement in man and any better social order, it must come mainly from the education and humanizing of man.

I lived in a project and didn’t have a good education. But, I’d listen to the preacher, who said that God would show me the way. Everything starts from that confidence.

We need to teach boys to respect girls.

All my mates are at university, and it’s a life I haven’t had a chance to enjoy, so it’s great to turn up and sample a bit of it.

I was very quiet until I got at the piano, and weekends, lunch breaks, after school, before school, I was just making music.