“It is better to sit at the feet of the learned, than to be at the head table of idiots.”
It is wiser to humbly learn from wise company than to hold status among foolish people.
— Traditional Bhutan Wisdom, Bhutan
Source: Traditional Bhutanese proverb, published in Gyonpo Tshering, The Bhutanese Guide to Happiness: 365 Proverbs from the World's Happiest Nation (Penguin Books India, 2012), p. 104
More Proverbs from Bhutan
Don't put an easy tongue in an easy mouth.
A warning against careless, excessive talkativeness — speak thoughtfully rather than freely.
If the thought is good, your place and path are good; if the thought is bad, your place and path are bad.
A person's inner intentions shape the course and quality of their life.
The stripes of a tiger are on the outside; the stripes of a person are on the inside.
An animal's nature is visible on its skin, but a person's true character is hidden within and only known over time.
A trustworthy person steals one's heart.
Genuine trustworthiness wins people's affection more surely than any other quality.
Do not start your worldly life too late; do not start your religious life too early.
Practical duties should be taken up promptly in youth, while spiritual devotion is best approached with the maturity that comes later in life.
A girl with a dedicated heart and good behaviour is more precious than your own heart.
Loyalty and good character in a loved one are valued above all else.