Shankaracharya's commentary, trans. Alladi Mahadeva Sastry (1897)
[1]The gods, pleased with sacrifices, will bestow desired enjoyments on you. He who enjoys their gifts without giving to them is verily a thief.
BG 3.12
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः । तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः ॥
iṣṭān bhogān hi vo devā dāsyante yajña-bhāvitāḥ | tair dattān apradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ ||
"Enjoy the gifts of existence without giving back — the Gita calls that theft. Participate, don't just consume."
All public-domain translations
5 translations · all pre-1928 or released to public domain · sources
Swami Swarupananda, Srimad Bhagavad Gita (1909)
[4]The gods, nourished by sacrifice, will give you the enjoyments you desire; he who enjoys what they give without giving to them in return is verily a thief.
William Quan Judge, The Bhagavad Gita (1890)
[6]The gods, nourished by sacrifice, will grant you all your desires. He is a thief who enjoys their gifts without making offerings to them.
Sir Edwin Arnold, The Song Celestial (1885)
[7]Nourished by sacrifice the gods will give the good Ye pray for. He who eats their gift and gives Naught back is a thief.
K.T. Telang, Sacred Books of the East Vol. 8 (1882)
[9]The gods, pleased by sacrifice, will bestow on you the pleasures you desire; he who enjoys their gifts without returning them is indeed a thief.