philosopher was passing along the highway he found another philosopher
jesting with a lecher and said to him: "Birds of feather
flock together." But that one replied: "I did not associate myself
with him." To this the wayfarer: "Then why dost thou approve of
him?" And he: "I do not, but in great need even an honest man
must resort to a privy." Another philosopher: "Son, it is difficult
to climb high houses but easy to descend from them." Another
philosopher saide to his sone: "Bettir is the enymite of a wiseman
than the friendship of a foole." Another saith: "Ne have thow
nat for no grete thyng the frendship of a foole, forwhi it is nat to
the abidyng." Another: "Bettir is the felawship of a simple man
nurisshed among sapient men than led and brought furth with
feders of prudent men."[1] Another: "Swetter it is to a wise man
sharp lif amonge wise men than swete lif among vnwise men."
Another saith: "Ther bien two maners and spices of wisdam: that
oon is na (f. 121) tural and that other artificial, of the whiche that
oon may nat be without that other." [Another]: "Ne committe
thow nat wisdam vnto foolis, forwhi vnto theym it is but an iniury;
neither denye thow it nat vnto wise men, for that that is theirs
thow takest awey from hem."[2] Another: "The gifts of this world
are of different kinds; for some are given riches, some wisdom. A
certain man speaking to his son said: "Which wouldest thou prefer
to have given thee, money or wisdom?" To this the son: "That
which others are most in need of. There was once a certain wise
poet who, though distinguished, was poor and in need, and who was
always complaining about his poverty to his friends, about which also
he composed verses expressing some such sentiment as this: 'Thou
who rejoicest in wealth, show me why I am in want. Thou art not
to blame, but tell me, who is to blame? For if my lot is hard, it
surely was not made so by thee. But thou art mediator and judge
between me and my destiny. Thou hast given me wisdom without
wealth; tell me then, what can wisdom do without wealth? Take
thou a part of my wisdom and give me some of thy wealth. Do not
make me suffer such want that its hardships will bring disgrace
upon me'.[3] A certain philosopher said: "Everyone appears to
another in one of three different relations: To whomsoever thou
doest a kindness thou seemest to him to be greater than himself;
from whomsoever thou desirest nothing thou seemest to be on an
equality with him; but to whomsoever thou art indebted for any
favor thou seemest to him less than himself." Another: "Wisdom
is the light of the soul, but sense is the light of the body." Another:
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