Let us live so very happily,
loving among the hostile.
Among hostile humans,
let us live with love.
Let us live so very happily,
healthy among the ailing.
Among ailing humans
let us live healthily.
Let us live so very happily,
content among the greedy.
Among greedy humans,
let us live content.
Let us live so very happily,
we who have nothing.
We shall feed on rapture,
like the gods of streaming radiance.
Victory breeds enmity;
the defeated sleep badly.
The peaceful sleep at ease,
having left victory and defeat behind.
There is no fire like greed,
no crime like hate,
no suffering like the aggregates,
no bliss beyond peace.
Hunger is the worst illness,
conditions are the worst suffering.
For one who truly knows this,
extinguishment is the ultimate happiness.
Health is the ultimate blessing;
contentment, the ultimate wealth;
trust is the ultimate family;
extinguishment, the ultimate happiness.
Having drunk the nectar of seclusion
and the nectar of peace—
free of stress, free of evil,
drink the joyous nectar of truth.
It’s good to see the noble ones,
staying with them is always good.
Were you not to see fools,
you’d always be happy.
For one who consorts with fools
grieves long.
Painful is dwelling with fools,
like being stuck with your enemy.
Happy is dwelling with an attentive one,
like meeting with your kin.
Therefore:
An attentive one, wise and learned,
a behemoth of virtue, true to their vows, noble:
follow a true and intelligent person such as this,
as the moon tracks the path of the stars.