1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ aññataro bhikkhu kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.At one time one of the mendicants was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.

1.2Tena kho pana samayena so bhikkhu divāvihāragato supati.Now at that time that mendicant went for the day’s meditation, but fell asleep.¹1.3Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tassa bhikkhuno anukampikā atthakāmā taṁ bhikkhuṁ saṁvejetukāmā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:The deity haunting that forest had sympathy for that mendicant, and wanted what’s best for them. So they approached that mendicant wanting to stir them up, and addressed them in verse:

2.1“Uṭṭhehi bhikkhu kiṁ sesi,“Get up, mendicant! Why lie down?2.2ko attho supitena te;What’s the point in sleeping?2.3Āturassa hi kā niddā,How can the afflicted slumber,2.4sallaviddhassa ruppato.inflicted by an arrow strike?

3.1Yāya saddhāya pabbajito,You should amplify the faith3.2agārasmānagāriyaṁ;that led you to go forth3.3Tameva saddhaṁ brūhehi,from the lay life to homelessness.3.4mā niddāya vasaṁ gamī”ti.Don’t fall under the sway of slumber.”

4.1“Aniccā addhuvā kāmā,“Sensual pleasures are impermanent and unstable,4.2yesu mandova mucchito;but dullards still fall for them.4.3Baddhesu muttaṁ asitaṁ,Among those who are bound, <j>they’re free and unattached:4.4kasmā pabbajitaṁ tape.why bother a renunciate?

5.1Chandarāgassa vinayā,By removing desire and greed,5.2avijjāsamatikkamā;by going beyond ignorance,5.3Taṁ ñāṇaṁ paramodānaṁ,that knowledge has been perfectly cleansed:5.4kasmā pabbajitaṁ tape.why bother a renunciate?

6.1Chetvā avijjaṁ vijjāya,By breaking ignorance with knowledge,6.2āsavānaṁ parikkhayā;by the ending of defilements,6.3Asokaṁ anupāyāsaṁ,they’re sorrowless, unstressed:6.4kasmā pabbajitaṁ tape.why bother a renunciate?

7.1Āraddhavīriyaṁ pahitattaṁ,Energetic, resolute,7.2Niccaṁ daḷhaparakkamaṁ;always staunchly vigorous,7.3Nibbānaṁ abhikaṅkhantaṁ,aspiring to extinguishment:7.4Kasmā pabbajitaṁ tape”ti.why bother a renunciate?”