महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-188, verse-38

सत्यं संक्षिप्यते लोके नरैः पण्डितमानिभिः ।
स्थविरा बालमतयो बालाः स्थविरबुद्धयः ॥३८॥

38. satyaṁ saṁkṣipyate loke naraiḥ paṇḍitamānibhiḥ ,
sthavirā bālamatayo bālāḥ sthavirabuddhayaḥ.

38. satyam saṃkṣipyate loke naraiḥ paṇḍitamānibhiḥ
sthavirāḥ bālamatayaḥ bālāḥ sthavirabuddhayaḥ

38. Truth (satya) is diminished in the world by those men who consider themselves wise. The elderly possess the minds of children, while children possess the intellects of the elderly.

Words meanings summery:

• सत्यम् (satyam) - truth, reality

• संक्षिप्यते (saṁkṣipyate) - is curtailed, is diminished, is abbreviated

• लोके (loke) - in the world, among people

• नरैः (naraiḥ) - by men, by people

• पण्डितमानिभिः (paṇḍitamānibhiḥ) - by those who consider themselves learned, by self-proclaimed wise men

• स्थविराः (sthavirāḥ) - old people, the elderly

• बालमतयः (bālamatayaḥ) - those with childish minds

• बालाः (bālāḥ) - children, young ones

• स्थविरबुद्धयः (sthavirabuddhayaḥ) - those with mature intellects (lit. old minds)

Words meanings and morphology

सत्यम् (satyam) - truth, reality

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of satya

satya - truth, reality, true, real

संक्षिप्यते (saṁkṣipyate) - is curtailed, is diminished, is abbreviated

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of saṃkṣip

Present Tense

3rd person singular, present tense, passive voice

Prefix: sam

Root: kṣip (class 6)

लोके (loke) - in the world, among people

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of loka

loka - world, realm, people, open space

नरैः (naraiḥ) - by men, by people

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of nara

nara - man, person, human being

पण्डितमानिभिः (paṇḍitamānibhiḥ) - by those who consider themselves learned, by self-proclaimed wise men

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of paṇḍitamānin

paṇḍitamānin - considering oneself learned or wise, self-proclaimed pundit

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (paṇḍita+mānin)

• paṇḍita – learned, wise, scholar
  noun (masculine)
• mānin – thinking oneself, considering oneself, proud
  adjective (masculine)
  Agent Noun
  Derived from root √man with ṇini suffix
  Root: man (class 4)

स्थविराः (sthavirāḥ) - old people, the elderly

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of sthavira

sthavira - old, aged, ancient, firm

बालमतयः (bālamatayaḥ) - those with childish minds

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of bālamati

bālamati - childish mind, having childish intellect

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (bāla+mati)

• bāla – child, young, immature, naive
  noun (masculine)
• mati – mind, intellect, thought, intention
  noun (feminine)

बालाः (bālāḥ) - children, young ones

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of bāla

bāla - child, young boy, ignorant person

स्थविरबुद्धयः (sthavirabuddhayaḥ) - those with mature intellects (lit. old minds)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sthavirabuddhi

sthavirabuddhi - old intellect, having an old mind

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (sthavira+buddhi)

• sthavira – old, aged, ancient, firm
  adjective (masculine)
• buddhi – intellect, understanding, perception, mind
  noun (feminine)