[375] Then the Blessed One, having understood this matter, on that occasion spoke these verses:
"A man goes on plundering
so long as it serves his ends;
but when others plunder him,
then he who plundered is plundered in turn.¹
For the fool thinks it a fit occasion
so long as his evil does not ripen;
but when the evil ripens,
then [the fool] comes to suffering (dukkha).
The slayer gets himself a slayer;
the conqueror gets one who conquers him;
the abuser gets abuse,
and the provoker one who provokes him.²
So then, by the turning round of kamma,
he who plundered is plundered in turn."
¹ M. (Burmese ed.): viluppati ["is plundered"]. ² Sī. (Sinhalese ed.): the readings "rosato paṭirosako" and also "rosato ca parosako" are found.
The Sixth: the Dhītusutta
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.