This is what should be done by one who is skilled in goodness and who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright, straightforward and gentle in speech, humble and not conceited, contented and easily satisfied, unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm, and wise and skillful, not proud or demanding in nature, let them not do the slightest thing that the wise would later reprove, wishing: in gladness and in safety, may all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be: whether they are weak or strong, omitting none, the great or the mighty, medium, short or small, the seen and the unseen, those living near and far away, those born and tobeborn — may all beings be at ease!
Let none deceive another, or despise any being in any state; let none through anger or ill-will wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life her child, her only child, so with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings, radiating kindness over the entire world: spreading upwards to the skies, and downwards to the depths, outwards and unbounded, freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down, free from drowsiness, one should sustain this recollection. This is said to be the sublime abiding. By not holding to fixed views, the purehearted one, having clarity of vision, being freed from all sense desires, is not born again into this world.
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Translation #2
This is what should be done by one who is skilled in goodness, and the one who knows the paths of peace:
Let them be able and upright, straightforward and gentle in speech
Humble and not conceited
May they be content and easily satisfied, unburdened with frugal and duties on their ways
Peaceful and calm, wise and skillful
Not proud and demanding in nature
May they be wise, with their senses calmed, not arrogant and without desire
May they do nothing that the wise would later reprove
May all beings be happy!
May they live in safety and joy!
All living beings, whether weak or strong, the great or the mighty, medium, short or small, seen or unseen, near or distant, born or to be born, may they all be happy
Let no one deceive another or despise any being in any state, let none by anger or hatred wish harm to another
As a mother watches over her child, willing to risk her own life to protect her only child, so with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings, radiating kindness over the entire world
Standing or walking, sitting or lying down, during all one’s waking hours, may one remain mindful of this heart, and this way of living, that is said to be the sublime abiding
Unattached to speculations, views and sense desires, the pure-hearted one, with clear vision, being freed from all sense desires, will never be reborn in the cycles of suffering.
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Translation #3
Mettasutta—Piyadassi Thera
The Discourse on Loving-kindness
He who is skilled in working out his own well being, and who wishes to attain that state of Calm (Nibbana) should act thus: he should be dexterous, upright, exceedingly upright, obedient, gentle, and humble.
Contented, easily supportable, with but few responsibilities, of simple livelihood, controlled in the senses, prudent, courteous, and not hanker after association with families.
Let him not perform the slightest wrong for which wise men may rebuke him. Let him think: ‘May all beings be happy and safe. May they have happy minds.’
Whatever living beings there may be—feeble or strong (or the seekers and the attained) long, stout, or of medium size, short, small, large, those seen or those unseen, those dwelling far or near, those who are born as well as those yet to be born—may all beings have happy minds.
Let him not deceive another nor despise anyone anywhere. In anger or ill will let him not wish another ill.
Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life even so let one cultivate a boundless love towards all beings.
Let him radiate boundless love towards the entire world—above, below, and across—unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.
Standing, walking, sitting or reclining, as long as he is awake, let him develop this mindfulness. This, they say, is ‘Noble Living’ here.
Not falling into wrong views—being virtuous, endowed with insight, lust in the senses discarded—verily never again will he return to conceive in a womb.
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