Dhammapada, Dhamma Verses (KN 2)

18: The Chapter about Stains – 98
So karohi dīpam-attano,
One should make an island for oneself,
khippaṁ vāyama paṇḍito bhava,
soon the wise one should endeavour,
niddhantamalo anaṅgaṇo,
removing the stain, blemishless,
na punaṁ jātijaraṁ upehisi. [238]
you will not come to birth and old age again.
Anupubbena medhāvī, thokathokaṁ khaṇe khaṇe,
The sage gradually, little by little, moment by moment,
kammāro rajatasseva, niddhame malam-attano. [239]
should remove the stain from himself, like a smith (removes the stain) from silver.
Ayasā va malaṁ samuṭṭhitaṁ,
As a (rust) stain arises from iron,
taduṭṭhāya tam-eva khādati,
and arisen from that, it eats it away,
evaṁ atidhonacārinaṁ –
so with one who is overindulgent 1 –
sakakammāni nayanti duggatiṁ. [240]
his deeds lead him to a bad destiny.
Asajjhāyamalā mantā, anuṭṭhānamalā gharā,
Lack of repetition is the ruin 2 of chants, a lack of maintenance is the ruin of homes,
malaṁ vaṇṇassa kosajjaṁ, pamādo rakkhato malaṁ. [241]
indolence is the ruin of one’s appearance, heedlessness is the ruin of the one on guard.
1 The commentary says it means being indulgent in regard to the four requisites.
2
Mala, the same word is translated as stain elsewhere, but here the only translation I feel that
works throughout the verse is ruin.