Old Tamil Poetry

Thirukkural – 194

Uttering useless, uncivil words to the multitude
Is unfair and distances one away from virtue.

நயன் சாரா நன்மையின் நீக்கும்-பயன் சாராப்
பண்பு இல் சொல் பல்லாரகத்து.

When one utters impolite and useless words in public to many people, he is being unfair and he distances himself away from the path of virtue.

நயன் – நேர்மை – honest / fair

நன்மை – goodness / virtue

பயன் – use

பண்பு – courteous / civil

பல்லார் – many people

Thirukkural – 1273

Like the thread that gleams through gems strung,
something gleams in this girl’s beauty, unsung.

மணியுள் திகழ்தரும் நூல்போல், மடந்தை
அணியுள் திகழ்வது ஒன்று உண்டு.

The thread through which the gems are strung is not directly visible to the eye, but it shines through the light of the gems. Similarly there is something that radiates through this girls beauty (which cannot be explained).

‘Unsung’ is not explicit in the original Kural. I have made it explicit in the translation.

Devaneya Paavaanar interprets அணி – post coital glow. That adds an extra layer to the Kural.

மணி – gem / necklace of gems strung together
திகழ் – shine / glimmer
மடந்தை – girl
அணி – beauty
ஒன்று உண்டு  – Something there

Thirukkural – 1274

Like fragrance inside an yet to blossom bud,
There’s a hint in this girl’s budding smile.

முகைமொக்குள் உள்ளது நாற்றம்போல் பேதை
நகைமொக்குள் உள்ளதொன் றுண்டு.

This couplet is under the chapter குறிப்பு அறிவுறுத்தல் – Reading the signs. She is half smiling at him, keeping him on tenterhooks. He says it is like fragrance hidden inside a bud. When the bud blossoms, it will spread its fragrance. But one has to wait till then. Similarly, her half smile hints of her love, but he has to wait till she confirms it.

முகை & மொக்கு – both mean bud. Hence I have used ‘yet to blossom bud’. Could have used ‘unblossomed’, but that didn’t sound good to my ears.

முகை – bud
மொக்கு – bud
நாற்றம் – fragrance / scent
நகை – smile
உள்ளதொன்றுண்டு – உள்ளது ஒன்று உண்டு – there’s  something in it – a hint

Thirukkural – 1082

This stunning looker looking back at my ogling gaze
is like a mighty war goddess bringing an army too.

நோக்கினாள் நோக்கெதிர் நோக்குதல் தாக்கணங்கு
தானைக்கொண் டன்ன துடைத்து.

In the previous couplet, he first sees her and is perplexed whether she is a celestial or a splendid peacock or a human. She looks back at him. Now he is sure that she is a human being. He says, “Her beauty alone is enough to knock me out. On top of that she returns my stare and looks back at me. It is like a mighty war goddess who can win a victory on her own, bringing additional armies too to battle”. Her beauty is equated to war goddess and her looking back is equated to additional armies. Ogling is implied in the original verse, not explicit.

நோக்கினாள் – நோக்குமாறு வனப்பாய் இருப்பவள் – Beautiful / looker
நோக்கெதிர் – நோக்கு எதிர் – opposite (to my) gaze
நோக்குதல் – looking
தாக்கணங்கு – தாக்கும் அணங்கு -mighty war goddess
தானை – army
கொண்டன்னது – like bringing

நோக்கினாள் is interpreted by some commentators as ‘one whom I saw’ – என்னால் நோக்கப்பட்டவள். In that case the first line will read as “This girl whom I saw looking back at my ogling gaze..”

Thirukkural – 1288

Though it causes shameful misery, dear to the reveler is toddy;
You rogue, so is your chest to me!

இளித்தக்க இன்னா செயினும் களித்தார்க்குக் 
கள்ளற்றே கள்வநின் மார்பு.

This couplet is in the chapter ‘Desire for reunion’ – ‘புணர்ச்சி விதும்பல்’. He has been away for long and is now back. She was angry with him for deserting her, but now that he is back all her anger vanishes. She says, “Though toddy makes one behave shamelessly and causes misery, it is still desired by the reveler. Similarly, though I remember the untold misery you have caused me, you rogue, I still desire to embrace your chest”

இளி – shame
இன்னா – misery
களித்தார் – reveler
கள் – toddy
கள்வ – rogue