अप्रियवचनाङ्गारैर्दग्धोऽपि न विप्रियं वदत्यार्यः ।
किं दह्यमानमगरू स्वभावसुरभिं परित्यजति ।।
apriya-vacanāṅgārair dagdho’pi na vipriyaṁ vadaty āryaḥ |
kiṁ dahyamānam agaru svabhāva-surabhiṁ parityajati ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 2194)
“Even if burnt by the coals of unpleasant words, a noble person does not say something unpleasant [in response]. Does [even] a burning piece of aloewood give up its natural fragrance?”