法苑珠林 51.31

51.31

大王當知波羅柰　有一烏王常依止
八萬烏眾所圍繞　悉皆取彼王處分
彼烏王妻有所憶　我向大王說其緣
烏妻所思香美膳　如是大王所食者
是故我今數數來　抄撥大王香美食
今者為彼烏王故　致被大王之所繫
善哉唯願大聖王　慈悲憐愍放脫我
我為烏王彼妻故　數來抄撥大王食
我念從此一生來　未曾經造如此事
今為大王一勅已　於後不敢更復為

"Great King, you should know that in Vārāṇasī, / there is a crow king who constantly dwells there. / Surrounded by a flock of eighty thousand crows, / they all receive that king's commands. / That crow king's wife conceived a longing; / I shall explain its cause to the great king. / The delicious and fragrant meal that the crow's wife craved / was such as the great king eats. / Therefore I have now come repeatedly, / snatching and carrying off the great king's fragrant and delicious food. / Now, on behalf of that crow king, / I have come to be bound by the great king. / O great holy king, please / have compassion and pity, and release me! / It was for the sake of the crow king and his wife / that I repeatedly came to snatch the great king's food. / I reflect that in all my life, / I have never committed such an act. / Now that the great king has rebuked me once, / hereafter I dare never do it again."