Thirukkural – 629
One who doesn’t delight in times of delight
Isn’t distressed in times of distress.
இன்பத்துள் இன்பம் விழையாதான், துன்பத்துள்
துன்பம் உறுதல் இலன்.
One who doesn’t get overjoyed and take joy to heart in times of joyousness, will not take the sorrow to heart too in times of suffering. He knows that these are but illusionary and he will be balanced at all times. Valluvar repeats the words twice in the first line and second. I have tried to bring the same in translation too, using them as both verb and noun.
While reading this Kural, I was reminded of the famous lines of Rudyard Kipling from the poem ‘If’, are written on the wall of the players’ entrance to the Centre Court at Wimbledon.
“If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;”
இன்பம் – joy / delight
விழையாதான் – one who doesn’t covet
துன்பம் – grief / distress
உறுதல் – feel
Old Tamil Poetry 