[2387] The man of scattered speech, who keeps not his counsel (manta) concealed,
unrestrained, without circumspection —
danger pursues him, himself devoid of understanding,
as the supaṇṇa pursues the nāga Paṇḍaraka.
The man who, out of folly, rejoicing as he tells,
divulges the secret counsel that ought to be guarded —
danger swiftly overtakes him whose counsel is betrayed,
as the supaṇṇa overtakes the nāga Paṇḍaraka.
No false friend deserves to know
a matter weighty and secret;
nor a true friend who is undiscerning,
nor even a discerning one who is bent on harm.
I entered into intimacy with the naked ascetic (acela),
thinking, "This ascetic is esteemed, one of developed self";
to him I declared, I laid open, the secret matter;
my good is past and gone — I weep piteously.
From him, O noble one (brahme), I could not
hold back this utterance, my supreme secret;
for from his very side danger has come upon me;
my good is past and gone — I weep piteously.
The man who, deeming him good-hearted,
tells a secret matter to one base-born,
whether from hatred, from fear, or inflamed by lust —
that man, beyond doubt, is a fool brought low.
He who carries talk behind men's backs, gone in among the wicked,
who gives voice to the tale in assemblies —
"a venomous serpent, foul of mouth," they call that man;
far, far away should one keep from such a one.
Food and drink, Kāsi cloth and sandalwood,
women who delight the heart, garlands and unguents —
abandoning all these sensual pleasures, we depart:
O supaṇṇa, with our very life we have come to you.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.