[492] "Excellent, excellent, Kassapa! For whomever there is no faith (saddhā) in wholesome states (kusala dhammā), no moral shame (hiri) …, no fear of wrongdoing (ottappa) …, no energy …, no wisdom (paññā) in wholesome states — for him, whatever night or day comes, only decline in wholesome states is to be expected, not growth. Just as, Kassapa, in the dark fortnight, whatever night or day comes, the moon wanes in beauty, wanes in roundness, wanes in radiance, wanes in height and girth; even so, Kassapa, for whomever there is no faith in wholesome states, no moral shame …, no fear of wrongdoing …, no energy …, no wisdom in wholesome states — for him, whatever night or day comes, only decline in wholesome states is to be expected, not growth.
"'A person without faith' — this, Kassapa, is decline. 'A person without moral shame' … 'without fear of wrongdoing' … 'lazy' … 'unwise' … 'angry' … 'A person who harbors resentment' — this, Kassapa, is decline. 'There are no bhikkhus who give exhortation' — this, Kassapa, is decline."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.