“Yesterday, one was alive; today he is not”
such is the reputation of this world.
‘நெருநல் உளன், ஒருவன்; இன்று இல்லை!’ என்னும்
பெருமை உடைத்து, இவ் உலகு.
This Kural verse talks about the impermanence of life. One who was alive yesterday is no more today. This world is well known for such fickleness.
நெருநல் – Yesterday
பெருமை – reputation
Don’t talk fast; don’t talk often;
don’t embellish with lies; don’t be verbose – but
cover the subject with clarity, use few words
and speak at the right moment.
விரைந்து உரையார்; மேன்மேல் உரையார்; பொய் ஆய
பரந்து உரையார்; பாரித்து உரையார்;-ஒருங்கு எனைத்தும்
சில் எழுத்தினானே, பொருள் அடங்க, காலத்தால்
சொல்லுப செவ்வி அறிந்து!
One must not talk fast; should not repeat his sentences; should not exaggerate and lie; and must not use too many words. On the other hand, cover the subject completely and with clarity, use only few words to explain oneself and wait for the right time to put forward his thoughts.
Aasaarak Kovai is a collection of 100 verses of moral aphorisms. These are thought to be written based on Sanskrit smritis.
விரைந்து – fast
மேன்மேல் – over and above (often)
பரந்து – expanded (embellish)
பாரித்து – spread (verbose)
ஒருங்கு – entirety
செவ்வி – time / moment
I conceal this malady; but it gushes forth,
like spring water to those who draw it up.
மறைப்பேன்மன் யான், இஃதோ, நோயை-இறைப்பவர்க்கு
ஊற்றுநீர் போல மிகும்.
Her friend tells her that revealing her love sickness is not good for her reputation. She replies, “I do conceal this ailment of passion. But it gushes up like spring water gushing up to those who draw. Spring water never dries up, how much ever one draws. Similarly I can’t hide my love sickness how much ever I try”
No medicine a body needs – if one eats
after digestion of previous meal.
மருந்து என வேண்டாவாம், யாக்கைக்கு- அருந்தியது,
அற்றது போற்றி உணின்.
If you eat only after sure signs of digestion of previous meal, then there is no need of medicine to take care of one’s body.
யாக்கை – body
அருந்துதல் – to eat
அறுத்தல் – to digest
போற்றுதல் – consider
உண் – eat
To not learn while young is a sin;
generosity while in want is a sin;
anger while unaided by kin is a sin;
it’s a sin to dine at the home of unfriendly;
இளமைப் பருவத்துக் கல்லாமை குற்றம்;
வளம் இலாப் போழ்தத்து வள்ளன்மை குற்றம்
கிளைஞர் இல் போழ்தில், சினம் குற்றம்; குற்றம்,
தமர் அல்லார் கையகத்து ஊண்.
It is a sin to not learn when one is young. It is a sin to be generous and philanthropic when one himself is indigent. To be angry and itch for a fight when unaided by one’s relatives is a sin. It is a sin to eat at the home of those who are unfriendly.
கிளைஞர் – relative / kin
தமர் – friend
அகம் – home
ஊண் – food
Aren’t appeasing words of that crafty crook
the force that breaks our feminine reserve?
பன்மாயக் கள்வன் பணிமொழி அன்றோநம்
பெண்மை உடைக்கும் படை.
She decides to be strong when he comes back from long absence. But hearing his gentle words, her reserve breaks down. She wonders aren’t his words the force that breaks my feminine reserve. She calls him a “பன்மாயக் கள்வன்” – literally “many tricked crook”. I have settled on crafty crook which is a poor imitation of the original.
One never stops being astonished at the longevity and continuity of Tamil. All the words in the above Kural are still in use 2000 years later.
Like milk mixed with honey is the dew
on this soft spoken girl’s white teeth.
பாலொடு தேன்கலந் தற்றே பணிமொழி
வாலெயி றூறிய நீர்.
Water secreted by this softspoken girl’s teeth is so sweet that it tastes like milk mixed with honey. I have used the word ‘dew’ for water, following Rev. Dr. G.U.Pope’s translation.
பணி – humble
வால் – whiteness
எயிறு – tooth
ஊறுதல் – secretion
நீர் – water
Lustrous lamp of one’s clan will dim and peter out,
if grime of laziness creeps in.
குடி என்னும் குன்றா விளக்கம், மடி என்னும்
மாசு ஊர, மாய்ந்து கெடும்.
Though one might have been born in a fabled clan, if he becomes lazy the brightness of his clan dignity will dim and peter out.
குன்றா விளக்கம் – is taken as long burning lamp without a wick by Parimel Alagar in his commentary. Devaneya Paavaanar interprets it as ‘light provided by rare gems’. His reasoning is that grime creeping on gem will dim and put out the light. I have gone with Devaneya Paavaanar’s interpretation.
குடி – Clan
மடி – Laziness
மாசு – grime / dust
ஊர்தல் – creep in
மாய்ந்து – dim / become lustreless
கெடும் – extinguished / destroyed
Even when overburdened, bearing it and paying
taxes due to the ruler – that’s a country.
பொறை ஒருங்கு மேல்வருங்கால் தாங்கி, இறைவற்கு
இறை ஒருங்கு நேர்வது-நாடு.
Even when a country is over burdened (like influx of refugees from neighboring countries) it should have the resilience and resources to bear it and still pay taxes due to the ruler. That is the hall mark of a good country.
O’ long and cool seashore! I won’t tell you;
Ibis nesting on closed palm fronds, I won’t tell it too;
Long legged stork roaming in backwaters!
you were there when he vowed; listen.
நெடுங் கடல் தண் சேர்ப்ப! நின்னோடு உரையேன்;
ஒடுங்கு மடல் பெண்ணை அன்றிற்கும் சொல்லேன்;
கடுஞ் சூளின் தான் கண்டு, கானலுள் மேயும்
தடந் தாள் மட நாராய்! கேள்.
They have met discreetly, fallen in love and became physically intimate. He promised the earth to her and said he will come back soon. But he hasn’t. So she tells the Seashore, “I won’t tell my suffering to you. Because you weren’t witness to our rendezvous. Nor to the Ibis bird that nests on closed fronds in palm trees. But the egret in backwaters, you were there when he vowed to come back soon. You were the sole witness. I will tell you of my grief.”
Ibis nesting on Palm Tree – pixabay.com
Stork in backwaters – wikimedia
தண் – Cool
சேர்ப்பு – Seashore / wharf
ஒடுங்குதல் – close inwards
மடல் – frond
பெண்ணை – palm
அன்றில் – Ibis / heron
சூள் – promise
கானல் – backwaters
தடம் – long
தாள் – leg
மடம் – young
நாரை – stork / egret
 | Arunan on Kulasekara Alwar – … |
 | Brindha on Thirukkural 675 |
 | Old Tamil Poetry on Kurunthokai 126 |
 | dagalti on Kurunthokai 126 |
| dagalti on Kurunthokai 126 |
Old Tamil Poetry 