Poverty, disease, sorrow, imprisonment and other evils are the fruits borne by the tree of one's own sins.

It is better to live under a tree in a jungle inhabited by tigers and elephants, to maintain oneself in such a place with ripe fruits and spring water, to lie down on grass and to wear the ragged barks of trees than to live amongst one's relations when reduced to poverty.

Separation from the wife, disgrace from one's own people, an enemy saved in battle, service to a wicked king, poverty, and a mismanaged assembly: these six kinds of evils, if afflicting a person, burn him even without fire.

There is no disease (so destructive) as lust; no enemy like infatuation; no fire like wrath; and no happiness like spiritual knowledge.

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

As a single withered tree, if set aflame, causes a whole forest to burn, so does a rascal son destroy a whole family.