1 karinthinaḥ 13
1 martyasvargīyāṇāṁ bhāṣā bhāṣamāṇo'haṁ yadi premahīno bhaveyaṁ tarhi vādakatālasvarūpo ninādakāribherīsvarūpaśca bhavāmi|
Though I speak in the ‘tongues’ of men, or even of angels, yet have not Love, I have become mere echoing brass, or a clanging cymbal!
2 aparañca yadyaham īśvarīyādeśāḍhyaḥ syāṁ sarvvāṇi guptavākyāni sarvvavidyāñca jānīyāṁ pūrṇaviśvāsaḥ san śailān sthānāntarīkarttuṁ śaknuyāñca kintu yadi premahīno bhaveyaṁ tarhyagaṇanīya eva bhavāmi|
Even though I have the gift of preaching, and fathom all hidden truths and all the depths of knowledge; even though I have such faith as might move mountains, yet have not Love, I am nothing!
3 aparaṁ yadyaham annadānena sarvvasvaṁ tyajeyaṁ dāhanāya svaśarīraṁ samarpayeyañca kintu yadi premahīno bhaveyaṁ tarhi tatsarvvaṁ madarthaṁ niṣphalaṁ bhavati|
Even though I dole my substance to the poor, even though I sacrifice my body, that I may boast, yet have not Love, it avails me nothing!
4 prema cirasahiṣṇu hitaiṣi ca, prema nirdveṣam aśaṭhaṁ nirgarvvañca|
Love is long-suffering, and kind; Love is never envious, never boastful, never conceited, never behaves unbecomingly;
5 aparaṁ tat kutsitaṁ nācarati, ātmaceṣṭāṁ na kurute sahasā na krudhyati parāniṣṭaṁ na cintayati,
love is never self-seeking, never provoked, never reckons up her wrongs;
6 adharmme na tuṣyati satya eva santuṣyati|
love never rejoices at evil, but rejoices in the triumph of Truth;
7 tat sarvvaṁ titikṣate sarvvatra viśvasiti sarvvatra bhadraṁ pratīkṣate sarvvaṁ sahate ca|
love bears with all things, every trustful, ever hopeful, ever patient.
8 premno lopaḥ kadāpi na bhaviṣyati, īśvarīyādeśakathanaṁ lopsyate parabhāṣābhāṣaṇaṁ nivarttiṣyate jñānamapi lopaṁ yāsyati|
Love never fails. But, whether it be the gift of preaching, it will be done with; whether it be the gift of ‘tongues,’ it will cease; whether it be knowledge, it, too, will be done with.
9 yato'smākaṁ jñānaṁ khaṇḍamātram īśvarīyādeśakathanamapi khaṇḍamātraṁ|
For our knowledge is incomplete, and our preaching is incomplete,
10 kintvasmāsu siddhatāṁ gateṣu tāni khaṇḍamātrāṇi lopaṁ yāsyante|
but, when the Perfect has come, that which is incomplete will be done with.
11 bālyakāle'haṁ bāla ivābhāṣe bāla ivācintayañca kintu yauvane jāte tatsarvvaṁ bālyācaraṇaṁ parityaktavān|
When I was a child, I talked as a child, I felt as a child, I reasoned as a child; now that I am a man, I have done with childish ways.
12 idānīm abhramadhyenāspaṣṭaṁ darśanam asmābhi rlabhyate kintu tadā sākṣāt darśanaṁ lapsyate| adhunā mama jñānam alpiṣṭhaṁ kintu tadāhaṁ yathāvagamyastathaivāvagato bhaviṣyāmi|
As yet we see, in a mirror, dimly, but then — face to face! As yet my knowledge is incomplete, but then I shall know in full, as I have been fully known.
13 idānīṁ pratyayaḥ pratyāśā prema ca trīṇyetāni tiṣṭhanti teṣāṁ madhye ca prema śreṣṭhaṁ|
Meanwhile Faith, Hope, and Love endure — these three, but the greatest of these is Love.
