In plain words
However much learning you may have, if it is without refinement, will it bring you honour? If there is no morality, if there is no discipline, will you gain honour on this earth? Though you hold the power of an authority that oversteps its bounds, will you gain greatness in this world? If you leave the path of Dharma and preach Dharma, will anyone on earth show you respect? To have no fear of sin in childhood and do wrong deeds is wrong, wrong! What else can I make known beyond this? O members of this gathering, esteemed for your gentle and good qualities!
Embodiments of Prema! Today, if you examine the earth... the water is sinking down to the very bottom. If you look into political conditions... morality and honesty themselves are dwindling to nothing. If you look at humanity.. human values have disappeared. Teachers who in ancient times were praised as kings of sacrifice, kings of yoga and kings among ascetics are today turning into kings of pleasure and kings of lust. From time beyond reckoning, the people of Bhārata, through the power of the spiritual principle, not only experienced Ānanda themselves but went on sharing that Ānanda with everyone. There is a Satya that is not changed by time, not erased by history, not worn away by the dissolution of the worlds, not swelled by creation; our ancient culture is the giving of form to that Satya. Forgetting this culture, eternal and true, the man of today scrambles after passing satisfaction with material desires. Unable to recognise his own worth, he is wasting his life.