Better than a thousand useless words is one useful word, hearing which one attains peace.
A thousand words strung together mean nothing if they're empty. Far better is a single meaningful word: one that, when you hear it, brings your restless mind to peace.
Better than a thousand useless verses is one useful verse, hearing which one attains peace.
A thousand verses count for little if they carry no meaning. Far better is a single meaningful line of verse: one that, when you hear it, brings you peace.
Better than reciting a hundred meaningless verses is the reciting of one verse of Dhamma, hearing which one attains peace.
Reciting a hundred verses full of empty words is worth less than speaking one true verse of the Dhamma: one that, when you hear it, brings you peace.
Though one may conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, yet he indeed is the noblest victor who conquers himself.
You could defeat a thousand thousand enemies on the battlefield, but the one who conquers themselves is the greatest victor of all.
Self-conquest is far better than the conquest of others. Not even a god, an angel, Mara or Brahma can turn into defeat the victory of a person who is self-subdued and ever restrained in conduct. [12]
Mastering yourself is a greater triumph than ruling over everyone else. Not even the gods could turn that victory into defeat: the self-disciplined person, living with restraint, stands beyond their reach.
Self-conquest is far better than the conquest of others. Not even a god, an angel, Mara or Brahma can turn into defeat the victory of a person who is self-subdued and ever restrained in conduct. [12]
When you have trained yourself and live in constant self-control, not even a god, an angel, Mara, or Brahma could turn your victory back into defeat.
Though month after month for a hundred years one should offer sacrifices by the thousands, yet if only for a moment one should worship those of perfected minds that honor is indeed better than a century of sacrifice.
You could offer lavish sacrifices month after month for a hundred years, yet a single moment of honoring someone of perfected mind is worth more than all of it.
Though for a hundred years one should tend the sacrificial fire in the forest, yet if only for a moment one should worship those of perfected minds, that worship is indeed better than a century of sacrifice.
You could tend the sacred fire in the forest for a hundred years, yet a single moment of honoring someone of perfected mind is worth more than all that devotion.
Whatever gifts and oblations one seeking merit might offer in this world for a whole year, all that is not worth one fourth of the merit gained by revering the Upright Ones, which is truly excellent.
Whatever gifts and offerings someone makes throughout a whole year hoping to earn merit, all of it isn't worth a fourth of the merit in simply revering those who walk the upright path.
To one ever eager to revere and serve the elders, these four blessing accrue: long life and beauty, happiness and power.
For one who is always glad to revere and serve those worthy of honor, four things grow: long life, beauty, happiness, and strength.
Better it is to live one day virtuous and meditative than to live a hundred years immoral and uncontrolled.
Better to live a single day with virtue and a settled mind than to live a hundred years without morals and out of control.
Better it is to live one day wise and meditative than to live a hundred years foolish and uncontrolled.
Better to live a single day with wisdom and a settled mind than to live a hundred years foolish and out of control.
Better it is to live one day strenuous and resolute than to live a hundred years sluggish and dissipated.
Better to live a single day with effort and resolve than to live a hundred years lazy and adrift.
Better it is to live one day seeing the rise and fall of things than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the rise and fall of things.
Better to live a single day seeing how all things rise and pass away than to live a hundred years never seeing it at all.
Better it is to live one day seeing the Deathless than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Deathless.
Better to live a single day seeing the Deathless than to live a hundred years never seeing it at all.
Better it is to live one day seeing the Supreme Truth than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Supreme Truth.
Better to live a single day seeing the Supreme Truth than to live a hundred years never seeing it at all.