1At Sāvatthī.

Standing to one side, that deity addressed the Buddha in verse:

2“Living in the wilderness,
peaceful spiritual practitioners
eat just one meal a day:
so why is their complexion so clear?”

3“They don’t worry about the past,
nor do they long for the future;
they feed on whatever comes that day,
that’s why their complexion’s so clear.

4Because they long for the future,
and worry about the past,
fools wither away,
like a green reed mowed down.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: 

2"Araññe vihārantānaṁ,
santānaṁ brahmacārinaṁ;
Ekabhattaṁ bhuñjamānānaṁ,
kena vaṇṇo pasīdatī"ti.

3"Atītaṁ nānusocanti,
nappajappanti nāgataṁ;
Paccuppannena yāpenti,
tena vaṇṇo pasīdati.

4Anāgatappajappāya,
atītassānusocanā;
Etena bālā sussanti,
naḷova harito luto"ti.

Naḷavaggo paṭhamo.

5Oghaṁ nimokkhaṁ upaneyyaṁ,
Accenti katichindi ca;
Jāgaraṁ appaṭividitā,
Susammuṭṭhā mānakāminā;
Araññe dasamo vutto,
Vaggo tena pavuccati.