Shankaracharya's commentary, trans. Alladi Mahadeva Sastry (1897)
[1]He who, in this world, does not help to turn the wheel thus set in motion, lives a sinful life rejoicing in the senses, O son of Pritha, and lives in vain.
BG 3.16
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः । अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति ॥
evaṃ pravartitaṃ cakraṃ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ | aghāyur indriyārāmo moghaṃ pārtha sa jīvati ||
"Whoever does not turn the cosmic wheel of giving — living only for sense-pleasure — lives in vain."
All public-domain translations
5 translations · all pre-1928 or released to public domain · sources
Swami Swarupananda, Srimad Bhagavad Gita (1909)
[4]He who does not, in this world, help to turn the wheel thus set revolving, is sinful, is sensual, and lives in vain, O son of Pritha.
William Quan Judge, The Bhagavad Gita (1890)
[6]He in this mortal world who does not keep the wheel revolving thus set in motion, lives in sin, devoted to the senses: he lives in vain, O son of Pritha.
Sir Edwin Arnold, The Song Celestial (1885)
[7]But whoso serves not in the appointed task, Glutting the senses merely — he lives in sin; For the vile wretch who lives but for himself — He lives in vain.
K.T. Telang, Sacred Books of the East Vol. 8 (1882)
[9]He who does not follow here the wheel thus set in motion, lives in sin, is sensual, and, O son of Pritha, lives in vain.