[45] Bhikkhus, thus, when wealth was not being provided to those without wealth, poverty became widespread; when poverty had become widespread, taking what is not given (adinnādāna) became widespread; when taking what is not given had become widespread … sexual misconduct (kāmesu micchācāra) became widespread; when sexual misconduct had become widespread, the lifespan of those beings declined and their beauty (vaṇṇa) declined. As they were declining in lifespan and declining in beauty, the humans whose lifespan was 10,000 years had children whose lifespan was 5,000 years.
Bhikkhus, among the humans whose lifespan was 5,000 years, two things became widespread: harsh speech (pharusā vācā) and idle chatter (samphappalāpa). When these two things had become widespread, the lifespan of those beings declined and their beauty declined. As they were declining in lifespan and declining in beauty, the humans whose lifespan was 5,000 years had children some of whom had a lifespan of 2,500 years, and some a lifespan of 2,000 years.
Bhikkhus, among the humans whose lifespan was 2,500 years, covetousness and ill will (abhijjhā-byāpāda) became widespread. When covetousness and ill will had become widespread, the lifespan of those beings declined and their beauty declined. As they were declining in lifespan and declining in beauty, the humans whose lifespan was 2,500 years had children whose lifespan was 1,000 years.
Bhikkhus, among the humans whose lifespan was 1,000 years, wrong view (micchādiṭṭhi) became widespread. When wrong view had become widespread, the lifespan of those beings declined and their beauty declined. As they were declining in lifespan and declining in beauty, the humans whose lifespan was 1,000 years had children whose lifespan was five hundred years.
Bhikkhus, among the humans whose lifespan was five hundred years, three things became widespread: illicit lust (adhammarāga), unrighteous greed (visamalobha), and wrong practice (micchādhamma). When these three things had become widespread, the lifespan of those beings declined and their beauty declined. As they were declining in lifespan and declining in beauty, the humans whose lifespan was five hundred years had children some of whom had a lifespan of two hundred and fifty years, and some a lifespan of two hundred years.
Bhikkhus, among the humans whose lifespan was two hundred and fifty years, these things became widespread: lack of due respect for mother (amatteyyatā), lack of due respect for father, lack of due respect for ascetics, lack of due respect for brahmins, and no deference to the elders of the family.
Bhikkhus, thus, when wealth was not being provided to those without wealth, poverty became widespread; when poverty had become widespread, taking what is not given became widespread; when taking what is not given had become widespread, swords became widespread; when swords had become widespread, the destruction of life (pāṇātipāta) became widespread; when the destruction of life had become widespread, false speech (musāvāda) became widespread; when false speech had become widespread, divisive speech (pisuṇā vācā) became widespread; when divisive speech had become widespread, sexual misconduct became widespread; when sexual misconduct had become widespread, two things became widespread: harsh speech and idle chatter; when these two things had become widespread, covetousness and ill will became widespread; when covetousness and ill will had become widespread, wrong view became widespread; when wrong view had become widespread, three things became widespread: illicit lust, unrighteous greed, and wrong practice; when these three things had become widespread, these things became widespread: lack of due respect for mother, lack of due respect for father, lack of due respect for ascetics, lack of due respect for brahmins, and no deference to the elders of the family; when these things had become widespread, the lifespan of those beings declined and their beauty declined. As they were declining in lifespan and declining in beauty, the humans whose lifespan was two hundred and fifty years had children whose lifespan was one hundred years.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.