9. Wickedness

Rush to do good, shield your mind from evil; for when you’re slow to do good, your thoughts delight in wickedness.

If you do something bad, don’t do it again and again, don’t set your heart on it, for piling up evil is suffering.

If you do something good, do it again and again, set your heart on it, for piling up goodness is joyful.

Even the wicked see good things, so long as their wickedness has not ripened. But as soon as that wickedness ripens, then the wicked see wicked things.

Even the good see wicked things, so long as their goodness has not ripened. But as soon as that goodness ripens, then the good see good things.

Think not lightly of evil, that it won’t come back to you. The pot is filled with water falling drop by drop; the fool is filled with wickedness piled up bit by bit.

Think not lightly of goodness, that it won’t come back to you. The pot is filled with water falling drop by drop; the attentive one is filled with goodness piled up bit by bit.

Avoid wickedness, as a merchant with rich cargo and small escort would avoid a dangerous road, or one who loves life would avoid drinking poison.

You can carry poison in your hand if it has no wound, for poison does not infect without a wound; nothing bad happens unless you do bad.

Whoever wrongs a man who has done no wrong, a pure man who has not a blemish, the evil backfires on the fool, like fine dust thrown upwind.

Some are born in a womb; evildoers go to hell; the virtuous go to heaven; the undefiled are fully extinguished.

Not in midair, nor mid-ocean, nor hiding in a mountain cleft; you’ll find no place on the planet to escape your wicked deeds.

Not in midair, nor mid-ocean, nor hiding in a mountain cleft; you’ll find no place on the planet where you won’t be vanquished by death.