उत्तिष्ठ क्षणमेकमुद्वह सखे दारिद्र्यभारं मम

श्रान्तम्तावदहं चिरान्मरणजं सेवे त्वदीयं सुखम् ।

इत्युक्तं धनवर्जितस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा श्मशाने शवो

‘दारिद्र्यान्मरणं वरं वरमिति ज्ञात्वैव तूष्णीं स्थितः ॥

‘O friend, please get up and bear my burden of poverty for a moment. Long since exhausted, I shall enjoy for that time the peace death has given you.’ Having heard in the cemetery this speech of a poor man, the corpse remained completely quiet, knowing well, I am sure, that death is better than poverty.

—–

A Sanskrit सुभाषित (witty saying) on an imaginary dialogue between a poor and a dead man. English translation by A. W. Ryder:

A beggar to the graveyard hide

and there “Friend corpse, arise,” he cried;

“One moment lift my heavy weight

of poverty; for I of late

grow weary, and desire instead

your comfort: you are good and dead.”

The corpse was silent, He was sure

’t was better to be dead than poor.

“उत्तिष्ठ, क्षणम् एकम् उद्वह, सखे, दारिद्र्य-भारं मम

श्रान्तम् तावद् अहं चिरान्, मरणजं सेवे त्वदीयं सुखम्” ।

इत्युक्तं धन-वर्जितस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा श्मशाने शवो

‘दारिद्र्यान् मरणं वरं, वरम्’ इति ज्ञात्वैव तूष्णीं स्थितः ॥

起きよ 少し 一寸 抱えよ、友よ（男）、貧乏の重荷を 私の

疲れた その間 私が 長いものを 死から生まれた 味わう おまえから この 幸せを

と言って 冨に捨てられた者の 言葉を 聞いて、墓場で 死体が

貧乏者たちから 死を 望みを、望み と 知って 静かに いた。

「『友よ、起きて一寸だけでいいから私の貧乏という重荷を抱えてくれないかね。私は ずっと前から 疲れきっているんだよ。 お前さんが死から蘇って 私にお前さんの静かな幸せを味わわせておくれよ。』 冨から見捨てられた男のそんな言葉を聞いて、 墓場では 死体が知らないふりをしてじっと静かにしていたんだよ。 「貧乏より死の方を選んだほうが絶対にいい」ということを知っていたからね。」