In plain words
Without the knowledge of Brahman, is one a brāhmin? Without a sense of equality, is one a good man? Without goodness, is one a human being? You yourselves tell me, sirs, and I will agree.
Students!
All the objects in the world are the gracious gifts of God. They are the very forms of His will. Some objects we have to use with the greatest care. When we enquire with discrimination and then put them to use, those objects stand by us as our dearest friend and give us joy. If, without enquiring, we use those objects with a mind void of discrimination, they torment us like enemies. So we must try to enquire into every object and use it with discrimination. For example, there is fire. There is the knife. There is electric current. Only when we use these in the right way can we receive what they yield. Fire, if not used with great care, brings us danger. Only when the knife is used with presence of mind does it become a help to us. Current too does us many kinds of service. We fit bulbs and by them receive light. We install a fan and get a breeze. We let current into a stove and do our cooking. We use it in the printing press and bring out creations of many kinds. “How much good this current has done me! Through this current I can achieve so many kinds of work.” “O current! What a good friend you are!”: say that and take hold of it, and it burns you. We must enjoy these benefits with right enquiry. When, thinking, “It has done us good,” we go to take hold of the current, it does us nothing but harm.
In just the same way, all of man's senses must be used with great care. When we set these senses on the right path, they are a help to us. When we set them on a crooked path, they bring sorrows of many kinds. Among these senses the tongue is very important.