[965] Elephant-riders, guardsmen, charioteers, and foot-soldiers —
according to their deeds of service the king increases their wages;
one should not stand in their way: such a one may dwell in the royal court.
The wise one should bend like a bow and sway even as the bamboo;
he should not act in opposition: such a one may dwell in the royal court.
He should be lean-bellied as a bow; he should be as tongueless as a fish;
eating little, prudent, and brave: such a one may dwell in the royal court.
[Variant readings noted in the Siam Raṭṭha edition (Sī. = Sinhala edition; Ma. = Burmese edition; Yu. = European/PTS edition); nn. 1–5 anchor in lines of the preceding item printed on the same page:
1. Sī., Yu.: bhave. 2. Ma.: sammukhañcassa. 3. Ma.: ve. 4. Yu.: laddhavāro labhe vāraṃ. 5. Sī., Yu.: aggīva yato tiṭṭheyya. 6. Ma.: hatthārohe anīkaṭṭhe rathike pattikārake (accusatives for the nominatives of the first pāda). 7. Ma.: kammāvadānena. 8. Ma.: cāpovūnudaro (i.e., for "cāpovūnūdaro" opening the third stanza). 9. Ma.: ajivhavā (for "ajivhatā").]
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.