[neeti-17]
क्षान्तिश्चेत्कवचेन किं किमरिभिः क्रोधोऽस्ति चेद्देहिनांज्ञातिश्चेदनलेन किं यदि सुहृद्दिव्यौषधैः किं फलम् ।किं सर्पैर्यदि दुर्जनाः किमु धनैर्विद्या न वन्द्या यदिव्रीडा चेत्किमु भूषणैः सुकविता यद्यस्ति राज्येन किम् ॥१७॥kṣāntiścetkavacena kiṃ kimaribhiḥ krodho'sti ceddehināṃjñātiścedanalena kiṃ yadi suhṛddivyauṣadhaiḥ kiṃ phalam |kiṃ sarpairyadi durjanāḥ kimu dhanairvidyā na vandyā yadivrīḍā cetkimu bhūṣaṇaiḥ sukavitā yadyasti rājyena kim ||17||
Translation
If there is forbearance then who needs an armor (for protection)? If the embodied beings are prone to get anger, then why do they need any other enemy? If there are kinsmen, what need of a fire (to burn off you and your possessions)? If there are (true) friends, of what use are the magically powered medicines? If there are wicked men (around), why have anxiety about mere serpents? If there is blemish-less (correct) knowledge (of the Reality), why one will need riches ever? If there is the quality of modesty, why one needs to wear ornaments (to make himself handsome?) If there is a good poem (that you can read and understand), why the need for a kingdom even (to bestow joy)? ॥ 17 ॥