पञ्चतंत्र - मूर्ख

सकृत् कंदुकपातेन पतत्यार्यः पतन्नपि ।
तथा पतति मूर्खास्तु मृत्पिण्डपतनं यथा ॥

- पञ्चतंत्र

sakRut kandukapAtena patati aaryaH patannapi ।
tathA patati mUrkhAstu mRut piNDa patanam yathA ॥

- panchatantra

If and when a virtuous person falls down, he will bounce back like a ball. When a fool falls down, it will be like a ball made of mud.

- Panchatantra

देवीभागवत - विज्ञा

मूर्खेण सह संयोगो विषादपि सुदुर्जरः ।
विज्ञेन सह संयोगः सुधारससमः स्मृतः ॥

- देवीभागवत

mUrkheNa saha samyogaH viShAdapi sudurjaraH ।
vijnena saha samyogaH sudhA rasa samaH smRutaH ॥

- devibhAgavata

To befriend and deal with a fool will do greater damage than poison. The same with a wise man is sweeter than nectar.

- Devibhagavata

भोजप्रबंध - मूर्खः

बुधाग्रे न गुणान् ब्रूयात् साधु वेत्ति यतः स्वयं ।
मूर्खाग्रेऽपि च न ब्रूयात् बुधप्रोक्तं न वेत्ति सः ॥

- भोजप्रबंध

budhAgre na guNAn brUyAt sAdhu vetti yataH svayam ।
mUrkhAgre api na brUyAt budha proktam na vetti saH ॥

- bhojaprabandha

One must not explain good qualities to a wise man - because he knows about them already. One must also not explain the same to a fool - because he will never understand the words of a wise man.

- Bhojaprabandha

भोजप्रबंध - काकः कोकिलः

तुल्यवर्णच्छदः कृष्णः कोकिलैः सह संगतः ।
केन व्याख्यायते काकः स्वयं यदि भाषते ॥

- भोजप्रबंध

tulya varNacChadaH kRuShNaH kokilaH saha sangataH ।
kena vyAkhyAyate kAkaH svayam yadi bhAShate ॥

- bhojaprabandha

A Crow can mingle with nightingales since they have the same plumage – black. No one will notice the difference until the crow starts to speak by itself. Only a fool would speak and reveal his ignorance in a congregation of wise men.

- Bhojaprabandha

सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार - सर्वत्रपाण्डित्यं

क्षंतवो मन्दबुद्धीनामपराधो मनीषिणा ।
न हि सर्वत्रपाण्डित्यं सुलभं पुरुषे क्वचित् ॥

- सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार

kShAntavo mandabuddhInAm aparAdhaH manIShiNA।
na hi sarvatra pANDityam sulabhaM puruShe kvachit ॥

- subhAShitaratnabhANDAgAra

Wise men should forgive mistakes by people less intelligent than them. They must understand that it is not possible to find common sense everywhere.

- Subhashitaratnabhandagara

गरुडपुराण - बलम्

अबलस्य बलं राजा बालस्य रुदितं बलम् ।
बलं मूर्खस्य मौनित्वं तस्करस्यानृतं बलम् ॥

- गरुडपुराण

abalasya balam rAjA bAlasya ruditam balam ।
balam mUrkhasya maunitvam taskarasya anRutam balam ॥

- garuDa purANa

A king must be the power of the weak. A child gets its power from crying. A fool must use silence as his poer and ability tell lies is the power of thieves.

- Garuda Purana

गरुड पुराण - तत्त्वम्

तत्त्वमात्मस्थमज्ञात्वा मूढः शास्त्रेषु मुह्यति ।
गोपः कक्षगते छागे कूपे पश्यति दुर्मतिः ॥

- गरुड पुराण

tattvam Atmastham ajnAtvA mUDhaH shAstreShu muhyati ।
gopaH kakShagate ChAge kUpe pashyati durmatiH ॥

- garuDa puRANa

The truth is hidden within oneself. Fools don't see it and search for it in the scriptures. Just like the story of a shepherd who has the sheep in his arms and looks for it in the well.

- Garuda Purana

सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार - मंदबुद्धीनामपराधो

क्षंतव्यो मंदबुद्धीनामपराधो मनीषिणा ।
न हि सर्वत्र पांडित्यं सुलभं पुरुषे क्वचित् ॥

- सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार

kShAntavyo manda buddhInAm aparAdho manIShiNA ।
na hi sarvatra pAnDityam sulabham puruShe kvachit ॥

- SubhashitaratnabhANDAgAra

A wise man must forgive mistakes done by lesser intelligent people. It is not possible to find wisdom every where. It can only be found in some places.

- Subhashitaratnabhandagara

उपमितिभवप्रपंचकथा - मूढः

अकार्यवारणोद्युक्तो मूढे यः परिखिद्यते ।
वाग्विस्तरो वृथा तस्य भस्मन्याज्याहुतिर्यथा ॥

- उपमितिभवप्रपंचकथा

akArya vAraNOdyuktaH mUDhe yaH parikhidyate ।
vAgvistaro vRuthA tasya bhasman yAji AhutiH yathA ॥

- upamitibhavaprapanchakathA

No matter how well you explain to an idiot how to avoid a disaster, it does not bear fruits. He will walk straight into the disaster. It is like pouring ghee over ashes in a pyre (it can not kindle fire, neither is it useful).

- Upamitibhavaprapanchakatha

रघुवंश - मूढचेतनः

अवगच्छति मूढचेतनः प्रियनाशं हृदि शल्यमर्पितम् ।
स्थिरधीस्तु तदेव मन्यते कुशलद्वारतया समुद्धृतम् ॥

- रघुवंश

avagacChati mUDhacetanaH priyanAsham hRudi shalyamarpitam ।
sthiradhIH tu tadeva manyate kushaladvAratayA samuddhRutam ॥

- raghuvamsha

When one loses his loved ones, a fool drowns himself in grief as if a spear went through his heart. But a stable minded person would consider the same as an opportunity to let go of attachments (and there by attain salvation) and would be unfazed by the situation.

- Raghuvamsha

रामायण मञ्जरी - अरण्य - अविवेक

अभावावधयो भावा निधनावधि जीवितम् ।
अविवेकस्त्वनवधिर्येनायं जायते भ्रमः ॥

- रामायण मञ्जरी, अरण्य

abhAvAvadhayo bhAvA nidhanAvadhi jIvitam ।
avivekaH tu anvadhiH yena jAyate bhramaH ॥

- rAmAyaNamanjarI, araNya

All materials come with a definite date by which it will get destroyed. Some early, some late. But foolishness has no such date. It lives on and on. That creates all these illusions.

- Ramayanamanjari, Aranya

महाभारत - उद्योग - मूढचेता

अनाहूतः प्रविशति अपृष्टो बहु भाषते ।
अविश्वस्ते विश्वसिति मूढचेता नराधमः ॥

- महाभारत, उद्योग

anAhUtaH pravishati apRuShTo bahu bhAShate ।
avishvaste vishvasiti mUDhachetA narAdhamaH ॥

- mahAbhArata, udyoga

A wretched fool can be recognized by the following three characteristics - he will go into a meeting uninvited, he will speak a lot even when not asked to and he will put his faith in a person who should not be believed.

- Mahbharata, Udyoga

हितोपदेश - सन्धि - मूढः

विषमां हि दशां प्राप्य दैवं गर्हयते नरः ।
आत्मनः कर्मदोषांस्तु नैव जानात्यपण्डितः ॥

- हितोपदेश, सन्धि

viShamAM hi dashAM prApya daivaM garhayate naraH ।
AtmanaH karmadoShAmstu naiva jAnAti apaNDitaH ॥

- hitopadesha, sandhi

When a fool is in trouble, he will start blaming fate. A fool will never understand that his present state is the result of his past actions.

- Hitopadesha

सुभाषितसुधानिधि - मूर्खा बहु मन्यन्ते

उच्चैरुच्चरितव्यं यत्किंचिदजानतापि पुरुषेण ।
मूर्खा बहु मन्यन्ते विदुषामपि संशयो भवति ॥

- सुभाषितसुधानिधि

One must talk loudly even when talking about whatever little you know. Fools will think you are right and the wise may also be put in doubt.

- Subhashitasudhanidhi

सुभाषितसुधानिधि - क्रोध

हीयते न प्रदीपेन क्षीयते नैव वह्निना |
नाश्यते रविणा नापि क्रोधरूपं तमो महत् ||

- सुभाषितसुधानिधि

The darkness created by anger can not be reduced by a flame (like a candle), can not be burnt down by fire, can not be destroyed even by the sun-light. Hence one must stay away from anger.

- Subhashitasudhanidhi

उपदेश शतक - मूर्ख

हंतुं देवकतनयां वसुदेवेनोद्यतायुधः कंसः |
मधुरोक्तिभिरनुनीतः साम्ना मूर्खं वशे कुर्यात् ||

- उपदेश शतक

When Kamsa lifted his sword to kill the Devaki's baby, Vasudeva placated him with pleasing words. It is the only way an angry idiot can be placated.

- Upadesha Shataka

कलिविडंबन - मूर्ख

स्तोतारः के भविष्यन्ति मूर्खस्य जगतीतले |
न स्तौति चेत् स्वयं च स्वं कदा तस्यास्तु निवृतिः ||

- कलिविडंबन

If a fool does not priase himself, who else will do it for him in this entire world? Praising himself is the only pass time that he knows about.

- Kalividambana

शिशुपालवध - मूर्ख

स्पृशन्ति शरवत्तीक्ष्णाः स्तोकमन्तर्विशन्ति च |
बहुस्पृशाऽपि स्थूलेन स्थीयते बहिरश्मवत् ||

- शिशुपालवध

Wise men are like arrows. They touch very lightly and penetrate by making the slightest slit. Even when explained with few words, they understand the entire picture. But idiots are like stones. They make huge impact but can not penetrate. Even after repeated explaining, they still can not understand.

- Shishupalavadha

सुभाषितसुधानिधि - कुतंत्र

शाठ्येन मित्रं कपटेन धर्मं
    परोपतापेन समृद्धभावम् |
सुखेन विद्यां परुषेण नारीं
    वांछन्ति ये नूनमपण्डितास्ते ||

- सुभाषितसुधानिधि

He is a fool who thinks he can get friends by tricking people, follow dharma by deceit, can get richer (happily) by troubling others, get education by lazing around, win a woman's heart by force. A person with such beliefs is definitely fooling himself.

- Subhashtiasudhanidhi

हितोपदेश - विग्रह - मूर्ख

शतं दद्यान्न विवदेदिति सुज्ञस्य सम्मतम् |
विना हेतुमपि द्वंद्वं तत्स्यान्मूर्खस्य लक्षणम् ||

- हितोपदेश - विग्रह

A wise man will avoid arguments if it can be avoided with some loss (about a hundred rupees). He thinks like that because he knows that the hundred he would save by an argument is not worth the fight. On the other hand, a fool would kick up an argument even if he has no reason to do so. He may be just hoping that the other person will just give up some money. Money so earned will never do any good.

- Hitopadesha