1Standing to one side, the god Khema recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

2“Foolish and unintelligent people
treat themselves like an enemy.
They do bad deeds
with bitter fruit.

3It’s not good to do a deed
after which you will regret.
you experience the result
weeping, with a tearful face.

4It’s good to do a deed
after which you’ll not regret.
you experience the result
joyful, with a happy mind.”

5“As a precaution, you should do
what you know is for your own welfare.
A thinker, a wise one would not proceed
thinking like the cart driver.

6Suppose a cart driver leaves the highway,
so even and well compacted.
They enter upon a rough road,
and fret when their axle breaks.

7So too, an idiot departs the good
to follow what’s against the good.
Fallen in the jaws of death,
they fret like their axle’s broken.”

1Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho khemo devaputto bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi: 

2"Caranti bālā dummedhā,
amitteneva attanā;
Karontā pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,
yaṁ hoti kaṭukapphalaṁ.

3Na taṁ kammaṁ kataṁ sādhu,
yaṁ katvā anutappati;
Yassa assumukho rodaṁ,
vipākaṁ paṭisevati.

4Tañca kammaṁ kataṁ sādhu,
yaṁ katvā nānutappati;
Yassa patīto sumano,
vipākaṁ paṭisevati.

5Paṭikacceva taṁ kayirā,
yaṁ jaññā hitamattano;
Na sākaṭikacintāya,
mantā dhīro parakkame.

6Yathā sākaṭiko maṭṭhaṁ,
samaṁ hitvā mahāpathaṁ;
Visamaṁ maggamāruyha,
akkhacchinnova jhāyati.

7Evaṁ dhammā apakkamma,
adhammamanuvattiya;
Mando maccumukhaṁ patto,
akkhacchinnova jhāyatī"ti.