1Sahassamapi ce vācā,
Better than a thousand
2anatthapadasaṁhitā;
meaningless sayings
3Ekaṁ atthapadaṁ seyyo,
is a single meaningful saying,
4yaṁ sutvā upasammati.
hearing which brings you peace.
5Sahassamapi ce gāthā,
Better than a thousand
6anatthapadasaṁhitā;
meaningless verses
7Ekaṁ gāthāpadaṁ seyyo,
is a single meaningful verse,
8yaṁ sutvā upasammati.
hearing which brings you peace.
9Yo ca gāthā sataṁ bhāse,
Better than reciting
10anatthapadasaṁhitā;
a hundred meaningless verses
11Ekaṁ dhammapadaṁ seyyo,
is a single saying of Dhamma,
12yaṁ sutvā upasammati.
hearing which brings you peace.
13Yo sahassaṁ sahassena,
The supreme conqueror is
14saṅgāme mānuse jine;
not he who conquers a million men in battle,
15Ekañca jeyyamattānaṁ,
but he who conquers a single man:
16sa ve saṅgāmajuttamo.
himself.
17Attā have jitaṁ seyyo,
It is surely better to conquer oneself
18yā cāyaṁ itarā pajā;
than all those other folk.
19Attadantassa posassa,
When a person has tamed themselves,
20niccaṁ saññatacārino.
always living restrained,
21Neva devo na gandhabbo,
no god nor centaur,
22na māro saha brahmunā;
nor Māra nor divinity,
23Jitaṁ apajitaṁ kayirā,
can undo the victory
24tathārūpassa jantuno.
of such a personage.
25Māse māse sahassena,
Rather than a thousandfold sacrifice,
26yo yajetha sataṁ samaṁ;
every month for a full century,
27Ekañca bhāvitattānaṁ,
it’s better to honor for a single hour
28muhuttamapi pūjaye;
one who has developed themselves.
29Sāyeva pūjanā seyyo,
That offering is better
30yañce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.
than the hundred year sacrifice.
31Yo ca vassasataṁ jantu,
Rather than serve the sacred flame
32aggiṁ paricare vane;
in the forest for a hundred years,
33Ekañca bhāvitattānaṁ,
it’s better to honor for a single hour
34muhuttamapi pūjaye;
a personage who has developed themselves.
35Sāyeva pūjanā seyyo,
That offering is better
36yañce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.
than the hundred year sacrifice.
37Yaṁ kiñci yiṭṭhaṁ va hutaṁ va loke,
Whatever sacrifice or offering in the world
38Saṁvaccharaṁ yajetha puññapekkho;
a seeker of merit may make for a year,
39Sabbampi taṁ na catubhāgameti,
none of it is worth a quarter
40Abhivādanā ujjugatesu seyyo.
of bowing to the sincere.
41Abhivādanasīlissa,
For one in the habit of bowing,
42niccaṁ vuḍḍhāpacāyino;
always honoring the elders,
43Cattāro dhammā vaḍḍhanti,
four blessings grow:
44āyu vaṇṇo sukhaṁ balaṁ.
lifespan, beauty, happiness, and strength.
45Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,
Better to live a single day
46dussīlo asamāhito;
ethical and absorbed in meditation
47Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,
than to live a hundred years
48sīlavantassa jhāyino.
unethical and lacking immersion.
49Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,
Better to live a single day
50duppañño asamāhito;
wise and absorbed in meditation
51Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,
than to live a hundred years
52paññavantassa jhāyino.
witless and lacking immersion.
53Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,
Better to live a single day
54kusīto hīnavīriyo;
energetic and strong,
55Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,
than to live a hundred years
56vīriyamārabhato daḷhaṁ.
lazy and lacking energy.
57Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,
Better to live a single day
58apassaṁ udayabbayaṁ;
seeing rise and fall
59Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,
than to live a hundred years
60passato udayabbayaṁ.
blind to rise and fall.
61Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,
Better to live a single day
62apassaṁ amataṁ padaṁ;
seeing the state free of death
63Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,
than to live a hundred years
64passato amataṁ padaṁ.
blind to the state free of death.
65Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,
Better to live a single day
66apassaṁ dhammamuttamaṁ;
seeing the supreme teaching
67Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,
than to live a hundred years
68passato dhammamuttamaṁ.
blind to the supreme teaching.