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Dhammapada 116–128

Pāpavagga

9. Wickedness · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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should rushAbhittharetha to goodkalyāṇe,
from evilpāpā mindcittaṁ should shieldnivāraye;
for when slowDandhañhi of one doingkaroto meritpuññaṁ,
in wickednesspāpasmiṁ delightsramatī thoughtsmano.

Rush to do good, shield your mind from evil; for when you’re slow to do good, your thoughts delight in wickedness.

if evilPāpañce a personpuriso should dokayirā,
notNa itnaṁ should dokayirā again and againpunappunaṁ;
notNa in ittamhi desirechandaṁ should setkayirātha,
sufferingDukkho of evilpāpassa piling upuccayo.

If you do something bad, don’t do it again and again, don’t set your heart on it, for piling up evil is suffering.

if meritPuññañce a personpuriso should dokayirā,
should dokayirā itnaṁ again and againpunappunaṁ;
in thatTamhi delightchandaṁ one should setkayirātha,
joyfulsukho of meritpuññassa accumulationuccayo.

If you do something good, do it again and again, set your heart on it, for piling up goodness is joyful.

even the wicked onePāpopi seespassati good thingsbhadraṁ,
so long asYāva wickednesspāpaṁ notna has ripenedpaccati;
whenYadā butca ripenspaccati that wickednesspāpaṁ,
thenAtha the wicked onepāpo wicked thingspāpāni seespassati.

Even the wicked see good things, so long as their wickedness has not ripened. But as soon as that wickedness ripens, then the wicked see wicked things.

even the good oneBhadropi seespassati wicked thingspāpaṁ,
so long asYāva goodnessbhadraṁ notna ripenspaccati;
whenYadā andca ripenspaccati that goodnessbhadraṁ,
thenAtha the good onebhadro good thingsbhadrāni seespassati.

Even the good see wicked things, so long as their goodness has not ripened. But as soon as that goodness ripens, then the good see good things.

do not think lightly ofMāvamaññetha of evilpāpassa,
notna to memantaṁ it will comeāgamissati;
by the falling of water dropsUdabindunipātena,
even a water potudakumbhopi is filledpūrati;
a foolBālo is filledpūrati with wickednesspāpassa,
bit by bitthokaṁ even bit by bitthokampi piling upācinaṁ.

Think not lightly of evil, that it won’t come back to you. The pot is filled with water falling drop by drop; the fool is filled with wickedness piled up bit by bit.

do not think lightly ofMāvamaññetha of goodnesspuññassa,
notna lightlymandaṁ it will comeāgamissati;
by the falling of water dropsUdabindunipātena,
even a water potudakumbhopi is filledpūrati;
the attentive oneDhīro is filledpūrati with goodnesspuññassa,
bit by bitthokaṁ even bit by bitthokampi piling upācinaṁ.

Think not lightly of goodness, that it won’t come back to you. The pot is filled with water falling drop by drop; the attentive one is filled with goodness piled up bit by bit.

like a merchantVāṇijova fearfulbhayaṁ roadmaggaṁ,
with small escortappasattho with rich cargomahaddhano;
poisonVisaṁ like one desiring to livejīvitukāmova,
wickednesspāpāni should avoidparivajjaye.

Avoid wickedness, as a merchant with rich cargo and small escort would avoid a dangerous road, or one who loves life would avoid drinking poison.

in the handPāṇimhi ifce a woundvaṇo there were notnāssa,
one could carryhareyya with the handpāṇinā poisonvisaṁ;
without a woundNābbaṇaṁ poison does not entervisamanveti,
there is notnatthi evilpāpaṁ for one not doingakubbato.

You can carry poison in your hand if it has no wound, for poison does not infect without a wound; nothing bad happens unless you do bad.

whoeverYo who has done no wrongappaduṭṭhassa mannarassa wrongsdussati,
pureSuddhassa manposassa who has not a blemishanaṅgaṇassa;
on the fool himselfTameva foolbālaṁ backfirespacceti evilpāpaṁ,
fineSukhumo dustrajo upwindpaṭivātaṁva thrownkhitto.

Whoever wrongs a man who has done no wrong, a pure man who has not a blemish, the evil backfires on the fool, like fine dust thrown upwind.

some into a wombGabbhameke are bornuppajjanti,
to hellnirayaṁ evildoerspāpakammino;
to heavenSaggaṁ the virtuoussugatino goyanti,
are fully extinguishedparinibbanti the undefiledanāsavā.

Some are born in a womb; evildoers go to hell; the virtuous go to heaven; the undefiled are fully extinguished.

notNa in midairantalikkhe norna mid-oceansamuddamajjhe,
norNa of mountainspabbatānaṁ a cleftvivaraṁ having enteredpavissa;
notNa is foundvijjatī thatso place on the planetjagatippadeso,
where standingYatthaṭṭhito one might escapemucceyya wicked deedspāpakammā.

Not in midair, nor mid-ocean, nor hiding in a mountain cleft; you’ll find no place on the planet to escape your wicked deeds.

notNa in midairantalikkhe norna in mid-oceansamuddamajjhe,
notNa of mountainspabbatānaṁ a cleftvivaraṁ having enteredpavissa;
notNa is foundvijjatī thatso place on the planetjagatippadeso,
where standingYatthaṭṭhitaṁ would not vanquishnappasaheyya deathmaccu.
chapter on wickednessPāpavaggo ninthnavamo.

Not in midair, nor mid-ocean, nor hiding in a mountain cleft; you’ll find no place on the planet where you won’t be vanquished by death.

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