The world will taunt, 'The self-knower did not arrive!' The proud one did not appear, having recognized his own flaw.
This couplet speaks about the human tendency to criticize the absence of truly wise or self-realized individuals. When such enlightened souls don't appear in moments of need, the world points fingers. However, there's another side: the arrogant person, full of false pride, chooses not to come forward. Why? Because deep down, they recognize their own hollowness and limitations. They understand their knowledge is superficial and fear exposure. So, while the world laments the missing enlightened one, the proud one's absence is a self-confession of their own inadequacy, a quiet acknowledgment of their own 'hollowness'.
Interpretation note: meanings and explanations may be AI-assisted and should not replace a primary text or scholarly edition. See the editorial policy.
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