Hasten to do good; keep the mind away from evil. Whoever acts slowly in doing good, their mind delights in evil.

Abhittharetha kalyāṇe — hasten to do good: abhittharetha combines urgency and intention. One cannot postpone good without the inertia of evil filling the vacant space.

Pāpā cittaṃ nivāraye — keep the mind away from evil: nivāraye is to divert, turn away. Not only not doing evil but actively keeping the mind in another direction. The passive action of “not doing evil” is not sufficient without the active direction toward good.

Dandhaṃ hi kalyāṇe karoti — whoever acts slowly in doing good: slowness in good is not neutrality — it is openness to evil. The psychology of the verse is precise: the mind cannot be empty; if not actively occupied with the positive, it will gravitate toward habitual patterns.

Pāpasmiṃ ramatī mano — the mind delights in evil: ratī is delight, pleasure. The mind that has not cultivated taste for the good finds its delight naturally in habitual patterns of attachment and aversion.