The verse

A thousand words burn down to one grey ash,worth less than one thin smoke that rises straight;pare off the gilding and the flame stays warm,one honest ember beats a smoke-filled gate.

Reading

This slip says: piled-up words are kindling that burns to ash. Choose the one straight thread over a thousand tangled lines; strip the gilding, keep the plain heart, and the flame warms of itself. The work is yours alone; no outcome is promised, only the truth of what you say.

The temple keeper adds

A steady lot. Steady, in a loud age, is already rare.

[ Draw another at the temple ][ Keep a traffic omamori ]