es a shameless man boast of an act about which no one should boast.
Such a wretch among men should carefully be disregarded. The man of
wisdom should endure everything that such a person of little intelligence
may say. What can a vulgar fellow do by either his praise or his blame?
He is even like a crow that caws uselessly in the woods. If those who
accuse others by only their words could establish those accusations by
such means, then, perhaps, their words would have been regarded to be of
some value. As a fact, however, these words are as effective as those
uttered by fools invoking death upon them with whom they quarrel.[348]
That man simply proclaims his bastardy who indulges in such conduct and
words. Indeed, he is even like a peacock that dances while showing such a
part of his body as should be ever concealed from the view.[349] A person
of pure conduct should never even speak with that wight of sinful conduct
who does not scruple to utter anything or do anything. That man who speaks
of one's merits when one's eye is upon him and who speaks ill of one when
one's eye is withdrawn from him, is really like a dog. Such a person
loses all his regions in heaven and the fruits of any knowledge and
virtue that he may have.[350] The man who speaks ill of one when one's
eye is not upon him, loses without delay the fruits of all his libations
on fire and of the gifts he may make unto even a hundred persons. A man
of wisdom, therefore, should unhesitatingly avoid a person of such sinful
heart who deserves to be avoided by all honest men, as he would avoid the
flesh of the dog. That wicked-souled wretch who proclaims the faults of a
high-souled person, really publishes (by that act) his own evil nature
even as a snake displays his hood (when interfered with by others). The
man of sense who seeks to counteract such a back-biter ever engaged in an
occupation congenial to himself, finds himself in the painful condition
of a stupid ass sunk in a heap of ashes. A man who is ever engaged in
speaking ill of others should be avoided like a furious wolf, or an
infuriated elephant roaring in madness, or a fierce dog. Fie on that
sinful wretch who has betaken himself to the path of the foolish and has
fallen away from all wholesome restraints and modesty, who is always
engaged in doing what is injurious to others, and who is regardless of
his own prosperity. If an honest man wishes to exchange words with such
wretches when they seek to hum