SN 1.3  Upanīya sutta - The Short Life

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthi.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

Standing to one side, that deity recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Upanīyati jīvitamappamāyu,
Jarūpanītassa na santi tāṇā;
Etaṁ bhayaṁ maraṇe pekkhamāno,
Puññāni kayirātha sukhāvahānī”ti.

“Life ebbs away, its span is short,
For one brought to old age, there are no shelters;
Clearly seeing this danger in death,
one should do meritorious deeds that bring happiness.

“Upanīyati jīvitamappamāyu,
Jarūpanītassa na santi tāṇā;
Etaṁ bhayaṁ maraṇe pekkhamāno,
Lokāmisaṁ pajahe santipekkho”ti.

[The Blessed One]: “Life ebbs away, its span is short,
For one brought to old age, there are no shelters;
Clearly seeing this danger in death,
One should drop |world’s bait::material delight, worldliness [lokāmisa]|, looking for peace.”