54. Avoiding Unmindfulness

Excessive anger's harm is exceeded
by excessive merriment's mindless mishaps. 

Just as perpetual poverty slowly nullifies one's knowledge, 
so frequent forgetfulness destroys one's prestige.

Unmindful men will never know renown.
This is the verdict of every virtuous text in the world.

Nothing will provide defense for the cowardly,
and nothing will secure good for the unmindful.

The forgetful man who fails to take precautions 
against impending perils will regret his negligence afterwards.

Nothing can compare to watchfulness
extended unfailingly to all people at all times.

There is nothing too difficult for the man who
consciously conceives and carefully executes his work.

One should do that which men extol as praiseworthy.
Forgetfully failing to do so brings deprivation lasting seven births.

Whenever the mind is engrossed in pleasant infatuations,
one should remember men who were ruined by forgetfulness.

It is easy to get what you think of
if you can get yourself to think of it.