Rig Veda · 10.117.1–3

Tradition: Hinduism
Scripture: Rig Veda
Theme: Righteous Living
Source: 10.117.1–3

Original

न वा उ देवाः क्षुधमिद्वधं ददुरुताशितमुप गच्छन्ति मृत्यवः । उतो रयिः पृणतो नोप दस्यत्युतापृणन्मर्डितारं न विन्दते ॥१॥ य आध्राय चकमानाय पित्वोऽन्नवान्सन्रफितायोपजग्मुषे । स्थिरं मनः कृणुते सेवते पुरोतो चित्स मर्डितारं न विन्दते ॥२॥ स इद्भोजो यो गृहवे ददात्यन्नकामाय चरते कृशाय । अरमस्मै भवति यामहूता उतापरीषु कृणुते सखायम् ॥३॥

Rig Veda Samhita (Sanskrit)

Translation

The Gods have not ordained hunger to be our death: even to the well-fed man comes death in varied shape. The riches of the liberal never waste away, while he who will not give finds none to comfort him. The man with food in store who, when the needy comes in miserable case begging for bread to eat, Hardens his heart against him-even when of old he did him service-finds not one to comfort him. Bounteous is he who gives unto the beggar who comes to him in want of food and feeble. Success attends him in the shout of battle. He makes a friend of him in future troubles.

The Hymns of the Rigveda

Context: From a hymn in praise of generosity in the tenth book of the Rig Veda.

Sources and licenses

Rig Veda Samhita, Sanskrit text (public domain), from Sanskrit Wikisource; shown without accent marks.
Ralph T. H. Griffith, The Hymns of the Rigveda, 2nd edition (1896); public domain, from English Wikisource.

Compare on this theme

Islam

Qur'an · 2:177 (Al-Baqarah)

۞ لَّيْسَ ٱلْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ وَٱلْمَغْرِبِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَءَاتَى ٱلْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ ذَوِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَٱلسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَـٰهَدُوا۟ ۖ وَٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ فِى ٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَحِينَ ٱلْبَأْسِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ ﴿١٧٧﴾

Righteousness is not turning your faces towards the east or the west. Rather, the righteous are those who believe in God, the Last Day, the angels, the scripture, and the prophets; and they give the money they cherish to the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the traveling immigrants, the beggars, and to free the slaves. And they observe the prayer and give the charity. And they fulfill their covenants when they make them, and they remain steadfast in the face of persecution and hardship, and during war. And these are the truthful and these are the righteous.

View on its own page

Judaism

Tanakh · Isaiah 58:6–7

הֲלוֹא זֶה צוֹם אֶבְחָרֵהוּ פַּתֵּחַ חַרְצֻבּוֹת רֶשַׁע הַתֵּר אֲגֻדּוֹת מוֹטָה וְשַׁלַּח רְצוּצִים חָפְשִׁים וְכָל־מוֹטָה תְּנַתֵּקוּ׃ הֲלוֹא פָרֹס לָרָעֵב לַחְמֶךָ וַעֲנִיִּים מְרוּדִים תָּבִיא בָיִת כִּי־תִרְאֶה עָרֹם וְכִסִּיתוֹ וּמִבְּשָׂרְךָ לֹא תִתְעַלָּם׃

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the fetters of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free, And that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, And that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, And that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

View on its own page

Christianity

New Testament · James 1:27

θρησκεία καθαρὰ καὶ ἀμίαντος παρὰ τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ αὕτη ἐστίν, ἐπισκέπτεσθαι ὀρφανοὺς καὶ χήρας ἐν τῇ θλίψει αὐτῶν, ἄσπιλον ἑαυτὸν τηρεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ κόσμου.

Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

View on its own page

Sikhism

Guru Granth Sahib · Ang 62 (Sri Raag, Guru Nanak)

ਸਚਹੁ ਓਰੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਉਪਰਿ ਸਚੁ ਆਚਾਰੁ ॥੫॥

Everything is inferior to truth; the practice of truth is superior to all else.

View on its own page