1. Long is the night to the sleepless; long is the league to the weary. Long is worldly existence to fools who know not the Sublime Truth.

2. Should a seeker not find a companion who is better or equal, let him resolutely pursue a solitary course; there is no fellowship with the fool.

3. The fool worries, thinking, “I have sons, I have wealth.” Indeed, when he himself is not his own, whence are sons, whence is wealth?

4. A fool who knows his foolishness is wise at least to that extent, but a fool who thinks himself wise is a fool indeed.

5. Though all his life a fool associates with a wise man, he no more comprehends the Truth than a spoon tastes the flavor of the soup.

6. Though only for a moment a discerning person associates with a wise man, quickly he comprehends the Truth, just as the tongue tastes the flavor of the soup.

7. Fools of little wit are enemies unto themselves as they move about doing evil deeds, the fruits of which are bitter.

8. Ill done is that action of doing which one repents later, and the fruit of which one, weeping, reaps with tears.

9. Well done is that action of doing which one repents not later, and the fruit of which one reaps with delight and happiness.

10. So long as an evil deed has not ripened, the fool thinks it as sweet as honey. But when the evil deed ripens, the fool comes to grief.

11. Month after month a fool may eat his food with the tip of a blade of grass, but he still is not worth a sixteenth part of the those who have comprehended the Truth.

12. Truly, an evil deed committed does not immediately bear fruit, like milk that does not turn sour all at once. But smoldering, it follows the fool like fire covered by ashes.

13. To his own ruin the fool gains knowledge, for it cleaves his head and destroys his innate goodness.

14. The fool seeks undeserved reputation, precedence among monks, authority over monasteries, and honor among householders.

15. “Let both laymen and monks think that it was done by me. In every work, great and small, let them follow me” — such is the ambition of the fool; thus his desire and pride increase.

16. One is the quest for worldly gain, and quite another is the path to Nibbana. Clearly understanding this, let not the monk, the disciple of the Buddha, be carried away by worldly acclaim, but develop detachment instead.

“Balavagga: The Fool” (Dhp V), translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013.
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60

Long for the wakeful is the night.
Long for the weary, a league.
For fools
unaware of True Dhamma,
samsara
is long.

61

If, in your course, you don’t meet
your equal, your better,
then continue your course,
firmly,
alone.
There’s no fellowship with fools.

62

‘I have sons, I have wealth’ —
the fool torments himself.
When even he himself
doesn’t belong to himself,
how then sons?
How wealth?

63

A fool with a sense of his foolishness
is — at least to that extent — wise.
But a fool who thinks himself wise
really deserves to be called
a fool.

64-65

Even if for a lifetime
the fool stays with the wise,
he knows nothing of the Dhamma —
as the ladle,
the taste of the soup.

Even if for a moment,
the perceptive person stays with the wise,
he immediately knows the Dhamma —
as the tongue,
the taste of the soup.

66

Fools, their wisdom weak,
are their own enemies
as they go through life,
doing evil
that bears
bitter fruit.
67-68

It’s not good,
the doing of the deed
that, once it’s done,
you regret,
whose result you reap crying,
your face in tears.

It’s good,
the doing of the deed
that, once it’s done,
you don’t regret,
whose result you reap gratified,
happy at heart.
69

As long as evil has yet to ripen,
the fool mistakes it for honey.
But when that evil ripens,
the fool falls into
pain.

70

Month after month
the fool might eat
only a tip-of-grass measure of food,
but he wouldn’t be worth
one sixteenth
of those who’ve fathomed
the Dhamma.

71

An evil deed, when done,
doesn’t — like ready milk —
come out right away.
It follows the fool,
smoldering
like a fire
hidden in ashes.

72-74

Only for his ruin
does renown come to the fool.
It ravages his bright fortune
& rips his head apart.

He would want unwarranted status,
preeminence among monks,
authority among monasteries,
homage from lay families.

‘Let householders & those gone forth
both think that this
was done by me alone.
May I alone determine
what’s a duty, what’s not’:
the resolve of a fool
as they grow —
his desire & pride.

75

The path to material gain
goes one way,
the way to Unbinding,
another.
Realizing this, the monk,
a disciple to the Awakened One,
should not relish offerings,
should cultivate seclusion
instead.

“Balavagga: Fools” (Dhp V), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013.
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