1Ko nu hāso kimānando,
What is joy, what is laughter,
2niccaṁ pajjalite sati;
when the flames are ever burning?
3Andhakārena onaddhā,
Shrouded by darkness,
4padīpaṁ na gavesatha.
would you not seek a light?
5Passa cittakataṁ bimbaṁ,
See this fancy puppet,
6arukāyaṁ samussitaṁ;
a body built of sores,
7Āturaṁ bahusaṅkappaṁ,
diseased, obsessed over,
8yassa natthi dhuvaṁ ṭhiti.
in which nothing lasts at all.
9Parijiṇṇamidaṁ rūpaṁ,
This body is decrepit and frail,
10roganīḷaṁ pabhaṅguraṁ;
a nest of disease.
11Bhijjati pūtisandeho,
This foul carcass falls apart,
12maraṇantañhi jīvitaṁ.
for life ends in death.
13Yānimāni apatthāni,
These dove-grey bones
14alābūneva sārade;
are tossed away like
15Kāpotakāni aṭṭhīni,
dried gourds in the autumn—
16tāni disvāna kā rati.
what joy is there in such a sight?
17Aṭṭhīnaṁ nagaraṁ kataṁ,
In this city built of bones,
18maṁsalohitalepanaṁ;
plastered with flesh and blood,
19Yattha jarā ca maccu ca,
old age and death are stashed away,
20māno makkho ca ohito.
along with conceit and contempt.
21Jīranti ve rājarathā sucittā,
Fancy chariots of kings wear out,
22Atho sarīrampi jaraṁ upeti;
and even this body gets old.
23Satañca dhammo na jaraṁ upeti,
But the truth of the good never gets old—
24Santo have sabbhi pavedayanti.
so the good proclaim to the good.
25Appassutāyaṁ puriso,
A person of little learning
26balībaddhova jīrati;
ages like an ox—
27Maṁsāni tassa vaḍḍhanti,
their flesh grows,
28paññā tassa na vaḍḍhati.
but not their wisdom.
29Anekajātisaṁsāraṁ,
Transmigrating through countless rebirths,
30sandhāvissaṁ anibbisaṁ;
I’ve journeyed without reward,
31Gahakāraṁ gavesanto,
searching for the house-builder;
32dukkhā jāti punappunaṁ.
painful is birth again and again.
33Gahakāraka diṭṭhosi,
I’ve seen you, house-builder!
34puna gehaṁ na kāhasi;
You won’t build a house again!
35Sabbā te phāsukā bhaggā,
Your rafters are all broken,
36gahakūṭaṁ visaṅkhataṁ;
your roof-peak demolished.
37Visaṅkhāragataṁ cittaṁ,
The mind, set on demolition,
38taṇhānaṁ khayamajjhagā.
has reached the end of cravings.
39Acaritvā brahmacariyaṁ,
When young they spurned the spiritual path
40aladdhā yobbane dhanaṁ;
and failed to earn any wealth.
41Jiṇṇakoñcāva jhāyanti,
Now they brood like old cranes
42khīṇamaccheva pallale.
in a pond bereft of fish.
43Acaritvā brahmacariyaṁ,
When young they spurned the spiritual path
44aladdhā yobbane dhanaṁ;
and failed to earn any wealth.
45Senti cāpātikhīṇāva,
Now they lie like spent arrows,
46purāṇāni anutthunaṁ.
bemoaning over things past.