Shankaracharya's commentary, trans. Alladi Mahadeva Sastry (1897)
[1]Even the wise are bewildered about what is action and what is inaction. I will declare to thee what action is, knowing which thou shalt be freed from evil.
BG 4.16
किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः । तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥
kiṃ karma kim akarmeti kavayo 'py atra mohitāḥ | tat te karma pravakṣyāmi yaj jñātvā mokṣyase 'śubhāt ||
"Even the wise are confused about action vs. inaction. I will explain — knowing this frees you from all wrong."
All public-domain translations
5 translations · all pre-1928 or released to public domain · sources
Swami Swarupananda, Srimad Bhagavad Gita (1909)
[4]Even the wise are confused as to what is action and what is inaction. I will declare to thee what action is, knowing which thou shalt be freed from evil.
William Quan Judge, The Bhagavad Gita (1890)
[6]Even the wise are confused as to what constitutes action and inaction. I will therefore explain to thee what action is, knowing which thou shalt be delivered from evil.
Sir Edwin Arnold, The Song Celestial (1885)
[7]What is it to do? What not to do? What is the difference? Even the wise are thus bewildered. I will declare to thee what action is, Knowing which, thou shalt be free from ill.
K.T. Telang, Sacred Books of the East Vol. 8 (1882)
[9]Even sages are confused about what is action and what is inaction. I will declare to thee what action is, knowing which thou shalt be freed from evil.