Sahassavagga

Sahassamapi ce vācā, anatthapadasaṁhitā; Ekaṁ atthapadaṁ seyyo, yaṁ sutvā upasammati.

Better than a thousand meaningless sayings is a single meaningful saying, hearing which brings you peace.

Sahassamapi ce gāthā, anatthapadasaṁhitā; Ekaṁ gāthāpadaṁ seyyo, yaṁ sutvā upasammati.

Better than a thousand meaningless verses is a single meaningful verse, hearing which brings you peace.

Yo ca gāthā sataṁ bhāse, anatthapadasaṁhitā; Ekaṁ dhammapadaṁ seyyo, yaṁ sutvā upasammati.

Better than reciting a hundred meaningless verses is a single saying of Dhamma, hearing which brings you peace.

Yo sahassaṁ sahassena, saṅgāme mānuse jine; Ekañca jeyyamattānaṁ, sa ve saṅgāmajuttamo.

The supreme conqueror is not he who conquers a million men in battle, but he who conquers a single man: himself.

Attā have jitaṁ seyyo, yā cāyaṁ itarā pajā; Attadantassa posassa, niccaṁ saññatacārino.

It is surely better to conquer oneself than all those other folk. When a person has tamed themselves, always living restrained,

Neva devo na gandhabbo, na māro saha brahmunā; Jitaṁ apajitaṁ kayirā, tathārūpassa jantuno.

no god nor centaur, nor Māra nor divinity, can undo the victory of such a personage.

Māse māse sahassena, yo yajetha sataṁ samaṁ; Ekañca bhāvitattānaṁ, muhuttamapi pūjaye; Sāyeva pūjanā seyyo, yañce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.

Rather than a thousandfold sacrifice, every month for a full century, it’s better to honor for a single hour one who has developed themselves. That offering is better than the hundred year sacrifice.

Yo ca vassasataṁ jantu, aggiṁ paricare vane; Ekañca bhāvitattānaṁ, muhuttamapi pūjaye; Sāyeva pūjanā seyyo, yañce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.

Rather than serve the sacred flame in the forest for a hundred years, it’s better to honor for a single hour a personage who has developed themselves. That offering is better than the hundred year sacrifice.

Yaṁ kiñci yiṭṭhaṁ va hutaṁ va loke, Saṁvaccharaṁ yajetha puññapekkho; Sabbampi taṁ na catubhāgameti, Abhivādanā ujjugatesu seyyo.

Whatever sacrifice or offering in the world a seeker of merit may make for a year, none of it is worth a quarter of bowing to the sincere.

Abhivādanasīlissa, niccaṁ vuḍḍhāpacāyino; Cattāro dhammā vaḍḍhanti, āyu vaṇṇo sukhaṁ balaṁ.

For one in the habit of bowing, always honoring the elders, four blessings grow: lifespan, beauty, happiness, and strength.

Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve, dussīlo asamāhito; Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo, sīlavantassa jhāyino.

Better to live a single day ethical and absorbed in meditation than to live a hundred years unethical and lacking immersion.

Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve, duppañño asamāhito; Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo, paññavantassa jhāyino.

Better to live a single day wise and absorbed in meditation than to live a hundred years witless and lacking immersion.

Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve, kusīto hīnavīriyo; Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo, vīriyamārabhato daḷhaṁ.

Better to live a single day energetic and strong, than to live a hundred years lazy and lacking energy.

Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve, apassaṁ udayabbayaṁ; Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo, passato udayabbayaṁ.

Better to live a single day seeing rise and fall than to live a hundred years blind to rise and fall.

Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve, apassaṁ amataṁ padaṁ; Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo, passato amataṁ padaṁ.

Better to live a single day seeing the state free of death than to live a hundred years blind to the state free of death.

Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve, apassaṁ dhammamuttamaṁ; Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo, passato dhammamuttamaṁ. Sahassavaggo aṭṭhamo.

Better to live a single day seeing the supreme teaching than to live a hundred years blind to the supreme teaching.