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16.
Applying himself to what should not be pursued,
and not applying himself to what should be pursued,
having abandoned the goal, grasping at the dear,
he envies the one who applies himself.
Let one never come together with the dear,
nor ever with the undear;
not to see the dear is suffering (dukkha),
and so is the sight of the undear.
Therefore let one hold nothing dear,
for parting from the dear is wretched;
no ties (gantha) exist for those
for whom there is nothing dear or undear.
From the dear is born sorrow (soka),
from the dear is born fear;
for one wholly released from the dear
there is no sorrow — whence fear?
From affection (pema) is born sorrow,
from affection is born fear;
for one wholly released from affection
there is no sorrow — whence fear?
From delight (rati) is born sorrow,
from delight is born fear;
for one wholly released from delight
there is no sorrow — whence fear?
From sensual pleasure (kāma) is born sorrow,
from sensual pleasure is born fear;
for one wholly released from sensual pleasure
there is no sorrow — whence fear?
From craving (taṇhā) is born sorrow,
from craving is born fear;
for one wholly released from craving
there is no sorrow — whence fear?
One accomplished in virtue (sīla) and vision,
established in the Dhamma, a speaker of truth,
doing his own work —
him the people hold dear.
One in whom zeal has arisen for the Undeclared (anakkhāta),
who would be touched [by it] in mind,
whose mind (citta) is not bound to sensual pleasures —
he is called "one bound upstream" (uddhaṃsota).
When a man long absent
has returned safely from afar,
kinsmen, friends, and well-wishers
rejoice at his return;
just so, when one who has made merit (puñña)
has gone from this world to the next,
his merits receive him,
as kinsmen a dear one who has come home.
The Piyavagga (Chapter on the Dear), the Sixteenth, is ended.
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The Verses of the Dhammapada: the Seventeenth Chapter, the Kodhavagga (Chapter on Anger)
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.