The man that is wise, pierced by another’s wordy arrows, sharp-pointed and smarting like fire or the sun, should, even if deeply wounded and burning with pain, bear them patiently remembering that the slanderer’s merits become his. He that waiteth upon one that is good or upon one that is wicked, upon one that is possessed of ascetic merit or upon one that is a thief, soon taketh the colour from that companion of his, like a cloth from the dye in which it is soaked.

In plain words: When a wise person is hurt by someone's cruel words, they should bear it patiently, even if it burns, knowing the insulter's merit passes to them. People take on the character of whoever they spend time with, good or bad, like cloth soaking up dye.