Dhammapada, Dhamma Verses (KN 2)

6: The Chapter about the Wise – 41
Udakaṁ hi nayanti nettikā,
Course-makers lead water,
usukārā namayanti tejanaṁ,
fletchers straighten arrows,
dāruṁ namayanti tacchakā,
carpenters straighten wood,
attānaṁ damayanti paṇḍitā. 1 [80]
the wise master themselves.
Selo yathā ekaghano vātena na samīrati,
Just as solid rock is not shaken by the wind,
evaṁ nindāpasaṁsāsu na samiñjanti paṇḍitā. [81]
so the wise are not moved by blame or praise.
Yathā pi r a hado gambhīro vippasanno anāvilo,
Like a lake that is deep, clear and unruffled,
evaṁ Dhammāni sutvāna vippasīdanti paṇḍitā. [82]
just so the wise are confident 2 after listening to Dhamma.
Sabbattha ve sappurisā cajanti,
True people surely everywhere renounce,
na kāmakāmā lapayanti santo;
the good do not talk of desiring sense-pleasures;
sukhena phuṭṭhā atha vā dukhena,
when touched by pleasure or by suffering,
noccāvacaṁ paṇḍitā dassayanti. [83]
the wise show neither elation or depression.
1 For a variant of this verse, see 145 below.
2
There is a play on meaning of the forms derived from vippasīdati, it means both clear and
confident.