Subhashitas from Sanskrit
विद्वत्वं च नृपत्वं च न एव तुल्ये कदाचन् ।
स्वदेशे पूज्यते राजा विद्वान् सर्वत्र पूज्यते॥
Knowledge and kingship are not comparable. The king is respected only in his own kingdom, but the learned is respected everywhere.
उद्यमेनैव हि सिध्यन्ति कार्याणि न मनोरथै ।
न हि सुप्तस्य सिंहस्य प्रविशन्ति मृगाः॥
Tasks are accomplished only by effort and not by simple desires. The antelope will not on its own enter the mouth of a sleeping lion.
पृथिव्यां त्रीणि रत्नानि जलमन्नं सुभाषितम्।
मूढैः पाषाणखण्डेषु रत्नसंज्ञा प्रदीयते॥
There are only three gems on earth. They are water, food and the words of wisdom. Still fools call pieces of stone as gems.
संपूर्ण कुंभो न करोति शब्दं अर्धोघटो घोषमुपैति नूनम् ।
विद्वान् कुलीनो न करोति गर्वं गुणैर्विहीना बहु जल्पयंति ॥
A half-filled jug of water creates too much noise but a fully filled jug will not make much noise. Similarly, intelligent and noble people always remain calm and will not have any misplaced pride. People who know very less, always keep on boasting.
क्षणशः कणशश्चैव विद्यामर्थं च साधयेत् |
क्षणत्यागे कुतो विद्या कणत्यागे कुतो धनम् ||
Wealth is procured through collection of every grain. Knowledge, similarly is obtained without wasting even a single moment of time. If time is wasted, how can knowledge be accrued? If a grain is wasted, how can wealth be accumulated?
Quotes from English Literature
Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment and disposition of business; for expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best from those who are learned.
Francis Bacon-Essays- Studies
He who will not apply new remedies must expect new evils, for time is the greatest innovator; and if time as a matter of course alters things for the worse, and wisdom and counsel will not alter them for the better, what shall be the end?
Francis Bacon: Essays-Innovations