अकर्तव्येष्वसाध्वीव तृष्णा प्रेरयते जनम् । akartavyeṣvasādhvīva tṛṣṇā prerayate janam |

Sanskrit text:

अकर्तव्येष्वसाध्वीव तृष्णा प्रेरयते जनम् ।
तमेव सर्वपापेभ्यो लज्जा मातेव रक्षति ॥

akartavyeṣvasādhvīva tṛṣṇā prerayate janam |
tameva sarvapāpebhyo lajjā māteva rakṣati || 

⏒⏒⏒⏒¦⏑⎼⎼⏒¦¦⏒⏒⏒⏒¦⏑⎼⏑⏒¦¦
⏒⏒⏒⏒¦⏑⎼⎼⏒¦¦⏒⏒⏒⏒¦⏑⎼⏑⏒¦¦

Meter name: Śloka; Type: pathyā (‘normal’); 8 syllables per quarter (pāda).

Primary English translation:

“Avidity is like a fallen woman; it instigates a person into wrongful activities. Modesty is like a mother; it guards a person against all sins.”

(translation by Raghu Vira; notes: in Sārasamuccaya)