In plain words
From the time you rise from sleep until you go to sleep again, for the belly's sake you let your life be spent without bound or reckoning, and your learning you pour away; forgetting the lotus-eyed Lord, what great happiness have you gained? Think it over gladly, O man!
Embodiments of Prema! From the man too poor for a meal to the millionaire, it is natural for every single one to try to fill the belly! But of all the time you spend for the sake of food, is it not possible for you to spend even one moment of that time on the thought of God? Nor is there any lack, in this land of Bhārata, of those who spend the time God has given them for God and so make it worthwhile. Embodiments of Prema! Not Śrīkākuḷam district alone: there are many more districts like it in the land of Bhārata. Everywhere people beat their wings for the sake of their bellies and perform a great many actions. But for all the toil they go through, are they enjoying any happiness at all, or any Śānti? No. Yet to men who keep God in their thoughts some small measure at least of peace of mind and bodily comfort keeps coming.
But so many, longing only for the comforts of the body, fall prey to many sorrows; they suffer hardships. To this day no one has been able to enjoy happiness of body and peace of mind in full. Shall we look at the body? Then... it is nothing but a kind of quiver, as fleeting as a bubble on water. And shall we look at the mind? Then... it is nothing but a mad monkey; it is never once free of its restlessness. It is a mistake to try to give happiness to so restless a mind and to a body like a quiver. As long as he lives, it is every man's duty to keep up his own body himself without being a burden to anyone. Many spend their whole lives on the body and the mind; but those who set these two aside and, enjoying Śānti, look after the health of the body are very rare.