They act in ways as to endure anguish upon themselves,
Like fish floundering in a dried up river,
Like fish floundering in a dried up river,
Being able you should act as an unselfish person,
[Not] one who continually accumulates rounds of existences.
[Not] one who continually accumulates rounds of existences.
Zì kě shòu tòng shēn,
流斷少水魚，
liú duàn shǎo shuǐyú,
以見斷身可
yǐ jiàn duàn shēn kě
三世復何增
sānshì fù hé zēng
Parallel: The Pali Sutta Nipata, Atthakavagga - Chap. 2, Verse 777
Discussion: Jiàn-見 has the connotation of being and acting kindly or receiving (as in a guest) etc. I've translated it here as unselfish in the 3rd line, due to the emphasis placed on it. Sānshì - 三世 can function as a phrase referring to the Three Realms of past, present, future. Here I've translated it as rounds of existences in the last line.
Bibliography
Discussion: Jiàn-見 has the connotation of being and acting kindly or receiving (as in a guest) etc. I've translated it here as unselfish in the 3rd line, due to the emphasis placed on it. Sānshì - 三世 can function as a phrase referring to the Three Realms of past, present, future. Here I've translated it as rounds of existences in the last line.
Bibliography