O king, life is a river whose waters are the five senses, and whose crocodiles and sharks are desire and anger. Making self-control thy raft, cross thou its eddies which are represented by repeated births! Worshipping and gratifying friends that are eminent in wisdom, virtue, learning, and years, he that asketh their advice about what he should do and should not do, is never misled.

In plain words: Vidura compares life to a river whose waters are the five senses and whose crocodiles and sharks are desire and anger. Use self-control as your raft to cross it and escape the whirlpool of being born again and again. A person who respects wise, good, learned, and older friends and asks them what to do and not do will never go wrong.