Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 33

अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि ।
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥२- ३३॥

atha cettvamimaṃ dharmyaṃ saṃgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi ।
tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpamavāpsyasi ॥2- 33॥

Now if you will not engage in this battle related to dharma, then you will incur sin having avoided fame and one's own dharma. 


Word-for-word translations

atha (adverb) (indeclinable) = now

cet (conjunction) (indeclinable) = if (placed after the word to which it refers)

tvam (pronoun, 2nd person, singular) = you

imam (pronoun, masculine, 3rd person, accusative, singular) = this 

dharmyam (adjective) (masculine, accusative, singular) = related to dharma

saṃgrāmam (masculine, accusative, singular) = battle

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

kariṣyasi (future tense, 2nd person, singular) = you will engage

tatas (adverb) (indeclinable) = then 

svadharmam (masculine, accusative, singular) = one's own dharma

kīrtim (feminine, accusative, singular) = fame 

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and

hitvā (gerund) (indeclinable) = having avoided 

pāpam (neuter, accusative, singular) = sin

avāpsyasi (future tense, 2nd person, singular) = you will incur 


Commentary 

This verse adds to the importance of doing one's duty according to their "dharma" in life to the point of it being an imperative. This verse contains the word "sin", which can be a very loaded word for some cultures. It does not carry the same guilt-ridden connotations in western cultures, but it has more of a meritless or "black mark" feel to it in eastern culture.  

I find it interesting that in this verse "one can incur sin, by avoiding their own fame". It is not the typical modesty virtue that one strives for in some cultures.