1Ahaṁ nāgova saṅgāme,
Like an elephant struck
2cāpato patitaṁ saraṁ;
with arrows in battle,
3Ativākyaṁ titikkhissaṁ,
I shall endure abuse,
4dussīlo hi bahujjano.
for so many folk are badly behaved.
5Dantaṁ nayanti samitiṁ,
The well-tamed beast is the one led to the crowd;
6dantaṁ rājābhirūhati;
the tamed elephant’s the one the king mounts;
7Danto seṭṭho manussesu,
the tamed person who endures abuse
8yotivākyaṁ titikkhati.
is the best of human beings.
9Varamassatarā dantā,
Those who have tamed themselves are better
10ājānīyā ca sindhavā;
than fine tamed mules,
11Kuñjarā ca mahānāgā,
thoroughbreds from Sindh,
12attadanto tato varaṁ.
or giant tuskers.
13Na hi etehi yānehi,
For not on those mounts
14gaccheyya agataṁ disaṁ;
would you go to the untrodden place,
15Yathāttanā sudantena,
whereas, with the help of one <j>whose self is well tamed,
16danto dantena gacchati.
you go there, tamed by the tamed.
17Dhanapālo nāma kuñjaro,
The tusker named Dhanapāla
18Kaṭukabhedano dunnivārayo;
is musky in rut, hard to control.
19Baddho kabaḷaṁ na bhuñjati,
Bound, he eats not a morsel,
20Sumarati nāgavanassa kuñjaro.
for he misses the elephant forest.
21Middhī yadā hoti mahagghaso ca,
One who gets drowsy from overeating,
22Niddāyitā samparivattasāyī;
fond of sleep, rolling round the bed
23Mahāvarāhova nivāpapuṭṭho,
like a great hog stuffed with grain:
24Punappunaṁ gabbhamupeti mando.
that dullard returns to the womb again and again.
25Idaṁ pure cittamacāri cārikaṁ,
In the past my mind wandered
26Yenicchakaṁ yatthakāmaṁ yathāsukhaṁ;
how it wished, where it liked, as it pleased.
27Tadajjahaṁ niggahessāmi yoniso,
Now I’ll carefully guide it,
28Hatthippabhinnaṁ viya aṅkusaggaho.
as a trainer with a hook guides a rutting elephant.
29Appamādaratā hotha,
Delight in diligence!
30sacittamanurakkhatha;
Take good care of your mind!
31Duggā uddharathattānaṁ,
Pull yourself out of this pit,
32paṅke sannova kuñjaro.
like an elephant sunk in a bog.
33Sace labhetha nipakaṁ sahāyaṁ,
If you find an alert companion,
34Saddhiṁ caraṁ sādhuvihāridhīraṁ;
an attentive friend to live happily together,
35Abhibhuyya sabbāni parissayāni,
then, overcoming all adversities,
36Careyya tenattamano satīmā.
wander with them, joyful and mindful.
37No ce labhetha nipakaṁ sahāyaṁ,
If you find no alert companion,
38Saddhiṁ caraṁ sādhuvihāridhīraṁ;
no attentive friend to live happily together,
39Rājāva raṭṭhaṁ vijitaṁ pahāya,
then, like a king who flees his conquered realm,
40Eko care mātaṅgaraññeva nāgo.
wander alone like a tusker in the wilds.
41Ekassa caritaṁ seyyo,
It’s better to wander alone,
42Natthi bāle sahāyatā;
there’s no fellowship with fools.
43Eko care na ca pāpāni kayirā,
Wander alone and do no wrong,
44Appossukko mātaṅgaraññeva nāgo.
at ease like a tusker in the wilds.
45Atthamhi jātamhi sukhā sahāyā,
A friend in need is a blessing;
46Tuṭṭhī sukhā yā itarītarena;
it’s a blessing to be content with whatever;
47Puññaṁ sukhaṁ jīvitasaṅkhayamhi,
good deeds are a blessing at the end of life,
48Sabbassa dukkhassa sukhaṁ pahānaṁ.
and giving up all suffering is a blessing.
49Sukhā matteyyatā loke,
In this world it’s a blessing to serve
50atho petteyyatā sukhā;
one’s mother and one’s father.
51Sukhā sāmaññatā loke,
And it’s a blessing also to serve
52atho brahmaññatā sukhā.
ascetics and brahmins.
53Sukhaṁ yāva jarā sīlaṁ,
It’s a blessing to keep precepts until you grow old;
54sukhā saddhā patiṭṭhitā;
a blessing to be grounded in faith;
55Sukho paññāya paṭilābho,
the getting of wisdom’s a blessing;
56pāpānaṁ akaraṇaṁ sukhaṁ.
and it’s a blessing to avoid doing wrong.