1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

1.3Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side,1.4Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi:and recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

2.1“Ādittasmiṁ agārasmiṁ,“When your house is on fire,2.2yaṁ nīharati bhājanaṁ;you rescue the pot2.3Taṁ tassa hoti atthāya,that’s useful,2.4no ca yaṁ tattha ḍayhati.not the one that’s burnt.

3.1Evaṁ ādittako loko,And as the world is on fire3.2jarāya maraṇena ca;with old age and death,3.3Nīharetheva dānena,you should rescue by giving,3.4dinnaṁ hoti sunīhataṁ.for what’s given is rescued.

4.1Dinnaṁ sukhaphalaṁ hoti,What’s given has happiness as its fruit,4.2nādinnaṁ hoti taṁ tathā;but not what isn’t given.4.3Corā haranti rājāno,Bandits take it, or rulers,4.4aggi ḍahati nassati.it’s consumed by fire, or lost.

5.1Atha antena jahati,Then in the end this corpse is cast off,5.2Sarīraṁ sapariggahaṁ;along with all your possessions.5.3Etadaññāya medhāvī,Knowing this, an intelligent person5.4Bhuñjetha ca dadetha ca;would enjoy what they have and also give it away.5.5Datvā ca bhutvā ca yathānubhāvaṁ,After giving and using according to their means,5.6Anindito saggamupeti ṭhānan”ti.blameless, they go to a heavenly place.”