[3] Bhikkhus, possessing four qualities, the fool, the incompetent, the untrue person (asappurisa) maintains himself uprooted and injured; he is blameworthy and subject to reproach by the wise, and he generates much demerit. Which four? Without investigating and without scrutinizing thoroughly, he speaks praise of one who deserves blame; without investigating and without scrutinizing thoroughly, he speaks blame of one who deserves praise; without investigating and without scrutinizing thoroughly, he displays confidence in a matter that does not merit confidence; without investigating and without scrutinizing thoroughly, he displays lack of confidence in a matter that merits confidence. Bhikkhus, possessing these four qualities, the fool, the incompetent, the untrue person maintains himself uprooted and injured; he is blameworthy and subject to reproach by the wise, and he generates much demerit.
Bhikkhus, possessing four qualities, the wise man, the competent, the true person (sappurisa) maintains himself unimpaired and uninjured; he is blameless and beyond reproach by the wise, and he generates much merit. Which four? Having investigated and scrutinized thoroughly, he speaks blame of one who deserves blame; having investigated and scrutinized thoroughly, he speaks praise of one who deserves praise; having investigated and scrutinized thoroughly, he displays lack of confidence in a matter that does not merit confidence; having investigated and scrutinized thoroughly, he displays confidence in a matter that merits confidence. Bhikkhus, possessing these four qualities, the wise man, the competent, the true person maintains himself unimpaired and uninjured; he is blameless and beyond reproach by the wise, and he generates much merit.
He who praises one deserving blame,
or blames one deserving praise,
casts with his mouth an unlucky throw (kali);
because of that unlucky throw he finds no happiness.
Trifling is this unlucky throw:
the loss of one's wealth at dice,
even of all one has, together with oneself;
this alone is the far greater unlucky throw —
to set one's mind in hatred against the well-farers (sugata).
For a hundred thousand and thirty-six nirabbudas,
and five abbudas besides,
the reviler of the noble ones goes to hell (niraya),
having directed evil speech and mind toward them.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.