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Dhammapada 60–75

Bālavagga

5. Fools · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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longDīghā for the wakefuljāgarato nightratti,
longdīghaṁ for the wearysantassa leagueyojanaṁ;
longDīgho of foolsbālāna transmigrationsaṁsāro,
true teachingsaddhammaṁ not·understandavijānataṁ.

wander + ifCarañce not·should findnādhigaccheyya,
betterSeyyaṁ equal + oneselfsadisamattano;
alone·wanderingEkacariyaṁ firmdaḷhaṁ should makekayirā,
not·there isNatthi with foolsbāle fellowshipsahāyatā.

sonsPuttā are minematthi wealthdhanaṁ is minematthi,
thusiti foolbālo fretsvihaññati;
selfAttā indeedhi of oneselfattano is notnatthi,
from wherekuto sonsputtā from wherekuto wealthdhanaṁ.

whoYo a foolbālo thinksmaññati fool·nessbālyaṁ,
a wise onepaṇḍito or·evenvāpi to that extenttena heso;
a foolBālo butca wise·imaginingpaṇḍitamānī,
hesa indeedve "a fool"“bālo”ti is calledvuccati.

as long as·live·evenYāvajīvampi ifce a foolbālo,
the wise onepaṇḍitaṁ attends topayirupāsati;
notNa heso the teachingdhammaṁ apart·knowvijānāti,
a spoondabbī soup·tastesūparasaṁ likeyathā.

hour + evenMuhuttamapi ifce clever personviññū,
the wisepaṇḍitaṁ attends topayirupāsati;
swiftlyKhippaṁ the teachingdhammaṁ dis-·knowvijānāti,
a tonguejivhā soup·tastesūparasaṁ likeyathā.

they wanderCaranti foolsbālā bad·wisdomdummedhā,
just like an enemyamitteneva with themselvesattanā;
doingKarontā wickedpāpakaṁ deedkammaṁ,
whichyaṁ becomeshoti bitter·fruitkaṭukapphalaṁ.

notNa thattaṁ deedkammaṁ donekataṁ good,sādhu,
whichyaṁ having donekatvā one is tormented;anutappati;
whoseYassa with tearful faceassumukho weeping,rodaṁ,
effectvipākaṁ experiences.paṭisevati.

that + andTañca deedkammaṁ donekataṁ goodsādhu,
whichyaṁ having donekatvā does not regretnānutappati;
whoseYassa delightedpatīto glad-mindedsumano,
apart·ripeningvipākaṁ experiencespaṭisevati.

honey + likeMadhuṁvā imaginesmaññati the foolbālo,
as long asyāva evilpāpaṁ notna ripenspaccati;
whenYadā andca ripenspaccati evilpāpaṁ,
thenatha sufferingdukkhaṁ down·gonigacchati.

month after monthMāse month after monthmāse with a blade of kusa grasskusaggena,
a foolbālo might eatbhuñjeyya foodbhojanaṁ;
notNa heso of those who have appraised the teachingsaṅkhātadhammānaṁ,
a partkalaṁ is worthagghati a sixteenthsoḷasiṁ.

notNa indeedhi wickedpāpaṁ donekataṁ deedkammaṁ,
quickly·milk·likeSajjukhīraṁva curdlesmuccati;
smolderingḌahantaṁ fool + followbālamanveti,
ash + covered·likeBhasmacchannova firepāvako.

as far as indeedYāvadeva not·benefitanatthāya,
fameñattaṁ of a foolbālassa is bornjāyati;
it strikesHanti of a foolbālassa good·featuressukkaṁsaṁ,
and its headmuddhamassa blowing apartvipātayaṁ.

not·esteemAsantaṁ they would seekbhāvanamiccheyya,
status + andPurekkhārañca among the mendicantsbhikkhusu;
authority over monasteriesĀvāsesu andca authorityissariyaṁ,
honorPūjaṁ among other familiesparakulesu andca.

me·aloneMameva donekata let them thinkmaññantu,
layfolkgihī renunciantspabbajitā bothubho;
under my sway aloneMamevātivasā let them beassu,
to-be-done·not-to-be-donekiccākiccesu in anything at allkismici;
soIti of the foolbālassa thoughtsaṅkappo,
greedicchā pridemāno andca growsvaḍḍhati.

one thingAññā indeedhi profit·meanslābhūpanisā,
anotheraññā quenching·goingnibbānagāminī;
thus + thisEvametaṁ fully·knowabhiññāya,
a mendicantbhikkhu of the Buddhabuddhassa disciplesāvako;
honorsSakkāraṁ not·delight innābhinandeyya,
seclusion·fostervivekamanubrūhaye.
fool·chapterBālavaggo fifthpañcamo.

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