Issariya sutta: Authority

“What is authority in the world?
What’s the best of valuables?
What in the world is a rusty sword?
Who is a pest in the world?

Who gets arrested when they take things away?
And who is loved when they take things away?
And who is approved by the astute
when they come again and again?”

“Sway is authority in the world.
A woman is the best of valuables.
Anger in the world is a rusty sword.
A bandit is a pest in the world.

A bandit gets arrested when they take things away.
And an ascetic is loved when they take things away.
An ascetic is approved by the astute
when they come again and again.”