Dhammapada · 9.8

Vāṇijova bhayaṃ maggaṃ, appasattho mahaddhano;Visaṃ jīvitukāmova, pāpāni parivajjaye.

Vanijova bhayam maggam, appasattho mahaddhano; Visam jivitukamova, papani parivajjaye.

Like a merchant on a dangerous road with little caravan and great wealth, like one who wishes to live avoids poison — so one should avoid evils.

— Dhammapada 9.8

Source: Pali text from the Khuddaka Nikāya of the Pali Canon (oldest extant Buddhist scripture, compiled c. 3rd century BCE). Public-domain English readings drawn from F. Max Müller's translation in Sacred Books of the East, Vol X (1881) and the Buddhist Publication Society's freely-licensed Acharya Buddharakkhita rendering.