[973]
Having thus instructed the company of his kinsmen, the discerning one,
surrounded by his friends, approached the king.
Having venerated the king's feet with his head and circumambulated him rightwise,
Vidhura, raising his joined palms (añjali), spoke to the king:
"This young man (māṇava) is leading me away, desiring to do with me as he wills.
I shall declare the welfare of my kinsmen — hear it, O tamer of foes (arindama).
Watch over my children, and whatever other wealth there is in the house,
so that, when I am gone, the company of my kinsmen may not decline hereafter.
Just as one who stumbles on the earth finds his footing on that very earth,
even so is this stumble of mine: I see this as a transgression (accaya)."
[Variant readings printed at the foot of the page: ¹ Burmese ed.: ucchādaye ca nhāpaye. ² Burmese ed.: kumbhampañjaliṃ kariyā. ³ Sinhalese and European eds.: vāyasaṃ vā; "cāto" is the name of a species of bird. ⁴ Burmese ed.: bhūtāni. ⁵ Burmese ed.: antarapeyyāla (an internal elision). ⁶ Burmese ed.: suhadehi (for suhajjehi, "friends"). ⁷ Burmese ed.: pecca ("when I have passed away," for pacchā, "hereafter"). Notes ¹–⁵ refer to text in the preceding items.]
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.