लेखनाथ पौड्याल

The morals of the stories

– Poudyal, Lekhnath

Things that the eminent do,
get unanimous approval
Shiva’s feature,
though bare and beggarly
is never condemned

no grand ever crosses the line
within its boundaries always
the ocean stays

on the pile of honorable deeds,
of a virtuous,
flaws get easily overlooked
how finely the dark spots of the moon,
its radiance hides

constant, unwavering progress,
that nobody achieves
spare the others, look at how the sun appears in the evenings

a dwarf becomes a showoff,
a bit taller if he gets
see, how a monsoon torrent roars

better to be a bit crooked
rather than being gullible,
stars in favor are not worshipped*

among the fools, a showy puerile is well respected
who in the dark can
reply to Firefly the great?

rough from childhood
is the character of a wicked
how pointed and piercing,
even the newly sprouted wild thronesare !

much beneficial is coordination in work
look at the unity of bees in gathering honey

growls a miser all the time that he is generous
the cloud that never rains thunders the loudest

should serve sometimes, even the enemy king
until it is an adult cuckoo, the chick remains Crow’s offspring

in the land of barbarians, gems have only two pennies’ worth
where no one has the taste for talent,
of his excellence, what would the meritorious make?

respect, even the worthless earn
regarding the place where it stands
are revered as gods, the stones
from the banks of Kaaligandaki

always humble, would a benevolent wise be
where does a tree, bearing loads of fruit, not bow low

can’t the Karma be erased, whatever you do
had even Rama the lord of the cosmos
been exiled to the forest

to endure the sorrow is
the true virtue of a steady stoic
like a silent monk, in winter,
the cuckoo behaves

dregs, the smart throw-away, extracting the essence,
why a bumblebee would linger unnecessarily at the flower
done sucking up all the nectar?

improve an ill-tempered villain,
not even the right company can
twining the branches of sandalwood,
nonvenomous, the snake never gets.

like, swear words,
sound advice pierces the heart of a fool
only venom the snake yields, even if fed with milk.

Translation- Himal khadka

* According to eastern astrology, life on earth is controlled by the mood of the stars
so they worship, the star not in favor.