Dhp IX : Evil

If a person does evil,

he shouldn’t do it again & again,

shouldn’t develop a penchant for it.

To accumulate evil

brings pain.

Even the evil

meet with good fortune

as long as their evil

has yet to mature.

But when it’s matured

that’s when they meet

with evil.

Don’t underestimate evil

(‘It won’t amount to much’).

A water jar fills,

even with water

falling     in     drops.

With evil–even if

bit

by

bit,

habitually–

the fool fills himself full.

Like a merchant with a small

but well-laden caravan

–a dangerous road,

like a person who loves life

–a poison,

one should avoid

–evil deeds.

If there’s no wound on the hand,

that hand can hold poison.

Poison won’t penetrate

where there’s no wound.

There’s no evil

for those who don’t do it.

Whoever harasses

an innocent man,

a man pure, without blemish:

the evil comes right back to the fool

like fine dust

thrown against the wind.

Some are born

in the human womb,

evildoers

in hell,

those on the good course go

to heaven,

while those without effluent:

totally unbound.

Not up in the air,

nor in the middle of the sea,

nor going into a cleft in the mountains

–nowhere on earth–

is a spot to be found

where you could stay & escape

your evil deed.