Nirayavagga
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral
1Abhūtavādī nirayaṁ upeti,A liar goes to hell,2Yo vāpi katvā na karomi cāha;as does one who denies what they did.3Ubhopi te pecca samā bhavanti,Both are equal in the hereafter,4Nihīnakammā manujā parattha.those men of base deeds.
1Kāsāvakaṇṭhā bahavo,Many who wear a scrap of ocher cloth2pāpadhammā asaññatā;are unrestrained and wicked.3Pāpā pāpehi kammehi,Being wicked, they are reborn in hell4nirayaṁ te upapajjare.due to their bad deeds.
1Seyyo ayoguḷo bhutto,It’d be better for the immoral and unrestrained2tatto aggisikhūpamo;to eat an iron ball,3Yañce bhuñjeyya dussīlo,scorching, like a burning flame,4raṭṭhapiṇḍamasaññato.than to eat the nation’s alms.
1Cattāri ṭhānāni naro pamatto,Four things befall a heedless man2Āpajjati paradārūpasevī;who sleeps with another’s wife:3Apuññalābhaṁ na nikāmaseyyaṁ,wickedness, poor sleep,4Nindaṁ tatīyaṁ nirayaṁ catutthaṁ.ill-repute, and rebirth in hell.
1Apuññalābho ca gatī ca pāpikā,He accrues wickedness and is reborn in a bad place,2Bhītassa bhītāya ratī ca thokikā;all so a frightened couple <j>may snatch a moment’s pleasure,3Rājā ca daṇḍaṁ garukaṁ paṇeti,for which rulers impose a heavy punishment.4Tasmā naro paradāraṁ na seve.That’s why a man should not <j>sleep with another’s wife.
1Kuso yathā duggahito,When kusa grass is wrongly grasped2hatthamevānukantati;it only cuts the hand.3Sāmaññaṁ dupparāmaṭṭhaṁ,So too, the ascetic life, when wrongly taken,4nirayāyupakaḍḍhati.drags you to hell.
1Yaṁ kiñci sithilaṁ kammaṁ,Any lax act,2saṅkiliṭṭhañca yaṁ vataṁ;any corrupt observance,3Saṅkassaraṁ brahmacariyaṁ,or suspicious spiritual life,4na taṁ hoti mahapphalaṁ.is not very fruitful.
1Kayirā ce kayirāthenaṁ,If one is to do what should be done,2daḷhamenaṁ parakkame;one should staunchly strive.3Sithilo hi paribbājo,For the life gone forth when laxly led4bhiyyo ākirate rajaṁ.just stirs up dust all the more.
1Akataṁ dukkaṭaṁ seyyo,A bad deed is better left undone,2pacchā tappati dukkaṭaṁ;for it will plague you later on.3Katañca sukataṁ seyyo,A good deed is better done,4yaṁ katvā nānutappati.one that does not plague you.
1Nagaraṁ yathā paccantaṁ,As a frontier city2guttaṁ santarabāhiraṁ;is guarded inside and out,3Evaṁ gopetha attānaṁ,so you should ward yourselves—4khaṇo vo mā upaccagā;don’t let the moment pass you by.5Khaṇātītā hi socanti,For if you miss your moment6nirayamhi samappitā.you’ll grieve when sent to hell.
1Alajjitāye lajjanti,Unashamed of what is shameful,2lajjitāye na lajjare;ashamed of what is not shameful;3Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā,beings who uphold wrong view4sattā gacchanti duggatiṁ.go to a bad place.
1Abhaye bhayadassino,Seeing danger where there is none,2bhaye cābhayadassino;and blind to the actual danger,3Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā,beings who uphold wrong view4sattā gacchanti duggatiṁ.go to a bad place.
1Avajje vajjamatino,Seeing fault where there is none,2vajje cāvajjadassino;and blind to the actual fault,3Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā,beings who uphold wrong view4sattā gacchanti duggatiṁ.go to a bad place.
1Vajjañca vajjato ñatvā,Knowing a fault as a fault2avajjañca avajjato;and the faultless as faultless,3Sammādiṭṭhisamādānā,beings who uphold right view4sattā gacchanti suggatiṁ.go to a good place.
5Nirayavaggo dvāvīsatimo.
