Shankaracharya's commentary, trans. Alladi Mahadeva Sastry (1897)
[1]As the ignorant act with attachment to works, O Bharata, so should the wise act without attachment, wishing the welfare of the world.
BG 3.25
सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत । कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम् ॥
saktāḥ karmaṇy avidvāṃso yathā kurvanti bhārata | kuryād vidvāṃs tathāsaktaś cikīrṣur loka-saṃgraham ||
"The wise act like the unwise — same actions, same engagement — but without attachment, for the world's welfare."
All public-domain translations
5 translations · all pre-1928 or released to public domain · sources
Swami Swarupananda, Srimad Bhagavad Gita (1909)
[4]As the unlearned act from attachment to action, O Bharata, so should the learned act, but without attachment, desirous of the welfare of the world.
William Quan Judge, The Bhagavad Gita (1890)
[6]As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to the fruit, so should the wise perform them without attachment, and for the benefit of humanity.
Sir Edwin Arnold, The Song Celestial (1885)
[7]As the unknowing ones do on, attached to work, so, unattached, Should the wise man do also, seeking to maintain The world.
K.T. Telang, Sacred Books of the East Vol. 8 (1882)
[9]As the unlearned act with attachment, O descendant of Bharata, so should the learned man act without attachment, wishing to do good to the world.