1Abhittharetha kalyāṇe,
Rush to do good,
2pāpā cittaṁ nivāraye;
shield your mind from evil;
3Dandhañhi karoto puññaṁ,
for when you’re slow to do good,
4pāpasmiṁ ramatī mano.
your thoughts delight in wickedness.
5Pāpañce puriso kayirā,
If you do something bad,
6Na naṁ kayirā punappunaṁ;
don’t do it again and again,
7Na tamhi chandaṁ kayirātha,
don’t set your heart on it,
8Dukkho pāpassa uccayo.
for piling up evil is suffering.
9Puññañce puriso kayirā,
If you do something good,
10kayirā naṁ punappunaṁ;
do it again and again,
11Tamhi chandaṁ kayirātha,
set your heart on it,
12sukho puññassa uccayo.
for piling up goodness is joyful.
13Pāpopi passati bhadraṁ,
Even the wicked see good things,
14Yāva pāpaṁ na paccati;
so long as their wickedness has not ripened.
15Yadā ca paccati pāpaṁ,
But as soon as that wickedness ripens,
16Atha pāpo pāpāni passati.
then the wicked see wicked things.
17Bhadropi passati pāpaṁ,
Even the good see wicked things,
18Yāva bhadraṁ na paccati;
so long as their goodness has not ripened.
19Yadā ca paccati bhadraṁ,
But as soon as that goodness ripens,
20Atha bhadro bhadrāni passati.
then the good see good things.
21Māvamaññetha pāpassa,
Think not lightly of evil,
22na mantaṁ āgamissati;
that it won’t come back to you.
23Udabindunipātena,
The pot is filled with water
24udakumbhopi pūrati;
falling drop by drop;
25Bālo pūrati pāpassa,
the fool is filled with wickedness
26thokaṁ thokampi ācinaṁ.
piled up bit by bit.
27Māvamaññetha puññassa,
Think not lightly of goodness,
28na mandaṁ āgamissati;
that it won’t come back to you.
29Udabindunipātena,
The pot is filled with water
30udakumbhopi pūrati;
falling drop by drop;
31Dhīro pūrati puññassa,
the attentive one is filled with goodness
32thokaṁ thokampi ācinaṁ.
piled up bit by bit.
33Vāṇijova bhayaṁ maggaṁ,
Avoid wickedness,
34appasattho mahaddhano;
as a merchant with rich cargo and small escort
35Visaṁ jīvitukāmova,
would avoid a dangerous road,
36pāpāni parivajjaye.
or one who loves life would avoid drinking poison.
37Pāṇimhi ce vaṇo nāssa,
You can carry poison in your hand
38hareyya pāṇinā visaṁ;
if it has no wound,
39Nābbaṇaṁ visamanveti,
for poison does not infect without a wound;
40natthi pāpaṁ akubbato.
nothing bad happens unless you do bad.
41Yo appaduṭṭhassa narassa dussati,
Whoever wrongs a man who has done no wrong,
42Suddhassa posassa anaṅgaṇassa;
a pure man who has not a blemish,
43Tameva bālaṁ pacceti pāpaṁ,
the evil backfires on the fool,
44Sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṁva khitto.
like fine dust thrown upwind.
45Gabbhameke uppajjanti,
Some are born in a womb;
46nirayaṁ pāpakammino;
evil-doers go to hell;
47Saggaṁ sugatino yanti,
the virtuous go to heaven;
48parinibbanti anāsavā.
the undefiled are fully extinguished.
49Na antalikkhe na samuddamajjhe,
Not in midair, nor mid-ocean,
50Na pabbatānaṁ vivaraṁ pavissa;
nor hiding in a mountain cleft;
51Na vijjatī so jagatippadeso,
you’ll find no place on the planet
52Yatthaṭṭhito mucceyya pāpakammā.
to escape your wicked deeds.
53Na antalikkhe na samuddamajjhe,
Not in midair, nor mid-ocean,
54Na pabbatānaṁ vivaraṁ pavissa;
nor hiding in a mountain cleft;
55Na vijjatī so jagatippadeso,
you’ll find no place on the planet
56Yatthaṭṭhitaṁ nappasaheyya maccu.
where you won’t be vanquished by death.