[53] On one occasion the Blessed One was travelling along the highway between Madhurā and Verañjā. A number of householders and housewives were also travelling along the highway between Madhurā and Verañjā. Then the Blessed One stepped off the road and sat down at the foot of a certain tree. Those householders and housewives saw the Blessed One seated at the foot of the tree; having seen him, they approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. As they sat there to one side, the Blessed One said this to those householders and housewives:
"Householders, there are these four kinds of living together (saṃvāsa). What four? A wretch (chava) lives together with a wretch; a wretch lives together with a goddess (devī); a god (deva) lives together with a wretch; a god lives together with a goddess.
"And how, householders, does a wretch live together with a wretch? Here, householders, the husband is one who destroys life, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsely, and indulges in liquor, wine, and intoxicants that are a basis for heedlessness; he is immoral, of evil character; he dwells at home with a mind obsessed by the stain of miserliness; he abuses and reviles ascetics and brahmins. And his wife too is one who destroys life, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsely, and indulges in liquor, wine, and intoxicants that are a basis for heedlessness; she is immoral, of evil character; she dwells at home with a mind obsessed by the stain of miserliness; she abuses and reviles ascetics and brahmins. In this way, householders, a wretch lives together with a wretch.
"And how, householders, does a wretch live together with a goddess? Here, householders, the husband is one who destroys life … indulges in liquor, wine, and intoxicants that are a basis for heedlessness; he is immoral, of evil character; he dwells at home with a mind obsessed by the stain of miserliness; he abuses and reviles ascetics and brahmins. But his wife is one who abstains from the destruction of life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, and abstains from liquor, wine, and intoxicants that are a basis for heedlessness; she is virtuous, of good character; she dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of miserliness; she does not abuse or revile ascetics and brahmins. In this way, householders, a wretch lives together with a goddess.
"And how, householders, does a god live together with a wretch? Here, householders, the husband is one who abstains from the destruction of life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, and abstains from liquor, wine, and intoxicants that are a basis for heedlessness; he is virtuous, of good character; he dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of miserliness; he does not abuse or revile ascetics and brahmins. But his wife is one who destroys life … indulges in liquor, wine, and intoxicants that are a basis for heedlessness; she is immoral, of evil character; she dwells at home with a mind obsessed by the stain of miserliness; she abuses and reviles ascetics and brahmins. In this way, householders, a god lives together with a wretch.
"And how, householders, does a god live together with a goddess? Here, householders, the husband is one who abstains from the destruction of life … abstains from liquor, wine, and intoxicants that are a basis for heedlessness; he is virtuous, of good character; he dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of miserliness; he does not abuse or revile ascetics and brahmins. And his wife too is one who abstains from the destruction of life … abstains from liquor, wine, and intoxicants that are a basis for heedlessness; she is virtuous, of good character; she dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of miserliness; she does not abuse or revile ascetics and brahmins. In this way, householders, a god lives together with a goddess.
"These, householders, are the four kinds of living together."
When both are immoral,
miserly and abusive,
they are wife and husband
come to live together as wretches.
The husband is immoral,
miserly and abusive,
but the wife is virtuous,
generous to supplicants, free of miserliness:
she is a goddess living together
with a wretch for a husband.
The husband is virtuous,
generous to supplicants, free of miserliness,
but the wife is immoral,
miserly and abusive:
she is a wretch living together
with a god for a husband.
When both have faith and are generous to supplicants,
restrained, living by the Dhamma,
they are wife and husband
who speak loving words to each other;
abundant benefits accrue to them,
and ease arises for them;
their enemies are dejected
when both are equal in virtue.
Having practised the Dhamma here,
both equal in virtue and observances,
delighting in the world of the devas,
they rejoice, enjoying the sensual pleasures they desire.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.