sutta » sn » sn1 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 1.77

Issariyasutta

Authority Sovereignty

“Kiṁsu issariyaṁ loke,
“What is authority in the world?
“What is sovereignty in the world?

kiṁsu bhaṇḍānamuttamaṁ;
What’s the best of valuables?
What ranks as the best of goods?

Kiṁsu satthamalaṁ loke,
What in the world is a rusty sword?
What in the world is a rusty sword?

kiṁsu lokasmimabbudaṁ.
Who is a plague on the world?
What in the world is considered a plague?

Kiṁsu harantaṁ vārenti,
Who gets arrested when they take things away?
“Whom do they arrest when he takes away?

haranto pana ko piyo;
And who is loved when they take things away?
And who, when he takes away, is dear?

Kiṁsu punappunāyantaṁ,
And who is approved by the astute
In whom do the wise take delight

abhinandanti paṇḍitā”ti.
when they come again and again?”
When he returns again and again?”

“Vaso issariyaṁ loke,
“Power is authority in the world.
“Mastery is sovereignty in the world;

itthī bhaṇḍānamuttamaṁ;
A woman is the best of valuables.
A woman ranks as the best of goods;

Kodho satthamalaṁ loke,
Anger in the world is a rusty sword.
In the world anger is a rusty sword;

corā lokasmimabbudā.
A bandit is a plague on the world.
Thieves in the world are considered a plague.

Coraṁ harantaṁ vārenti,
A bandit gets arrested when they take things away.
“They arrest a thief when he takes away,

haranto samaṇo piyo;
And an ascetic is loved when they take things away.
But an ascetic who takes away is dear.

Samaṇaṁ punappunāyantaṁ,
An ascetic is approved by the astute
The wise take delight in an ascetic

abhinandanti paṇḍitā”ti.
when they come again and again.”
When he returns again and again. ”