para-dharmat sv-anusthitat

svabhava-niyatam karma

kurvan napnoti kilbisam

sreyān—better; sva-dharmaḥ—one’s own occupation; viguṇaḥ—imperfectly performed; para-dharmāt—another’s occupation; svanuṣṭhitāt—perfectly done; svabhāva-niyatam—prescribed duties according to one’s nature; karma—work; kurvan—performing; na—never; āpnoti—achieve; kilbiṣam—sinful reactions.

It is better to engage in one’s own occupation, even though one may perform it imperfectly, than to accept another’s occupation and perform it perfectly. Prescribed duties, according to one’s nature, are never affected by sinful reactions.

sa-dosam api na tyajet

sarvarambha hi dosena

dhumenagnir ivavrtah

saha-jam—born simultaneously; karma—work; kaunteya—O son of Kuntī; sa-doṣam—with fault; api—although; na—never; tyajet—to be given up; sarva-ārambhāḥ—any venture; hi—is certainly; doṣeṇa—with fault; dhūmena—with smoke; agniḥ—fire; iva—as; āvṛtāḥ—covered.

Every endeavor is covered by some sort of fault, just as fire is covered by smoke. Therefore one should not give up the work which is born of his nature, O son of Kuntī, even if such work is full of fault.