Snp 4.1 Kāma-suttaṃ

Śloka metre [8 – 8 – 8 – 8]
Verses 766–771 [8 verses]

Pleasures

Pursuing desire for pleasure,
if one should succeed in that,
one's really exhilarated;
a mortal has gained what they want.

For one pursuing such pleasure,
whose interest has been aroused;
If those pleasures are taken away,
then pierced by a dart, he is stung.

The one who avoids such pleasures,
like the head of a snake with one's foot;
that one, being mindful, transcends
this entanglement here in the world.

A person who is greedy
for properties, land, or for gold,
horses and cows, slaves and servants,
women and kin, many pleasures,

He is one the weak overpower,
who is crushed when troubles arise;
so distress enters into him,
like water to a damaged boat.

Thus a person, always mindful,
such pleasures should really avoid.
Those who give them up cross the flood,
having bailed out the boat, they've gone over.