Old Tamil Poetry

Thirukkural – 1127

As my lover resides forever in my eyes,
I won’t even line them, lest he vanish.

கண் உள்ளார் காதலவராக, கண்ணும்
எழுதேம், கரப்பாக்கு அறிந்து.

She keeps thinking him constantly when he is not with her. She says since he resides in my eyes non stop, I won’t even line my eyes as I cannot not see him even for that short duration.

கண்ணுள்ளார் காத லவராகக் கண்ணும்
மெழுதேங் கரப்பாக் கறிந்து.

கரப்பு – hide
அறிந்து – எண்ணி – thinking

Thirukkural – 1123

O’ pupil of my eye, make way!  – fair browed girl
whom I fell in love with, has no place to stay!

கருமணியின் பாவாய்! நீ போதாய்-யாம் வீழும்
திருநுதற்கு இல்லை, இடம்!.

After spending time with him, she is leaving. He doesn’t want her to leave. He wants her image to stay in his eyes forever. So he asks the pupil in his eyes to go away and give space to the fine fore-headed girl with whom he is in love.

கருமணியுட் பாவாய்நீ போதாயாம் வீழுந்
திருநுதற் கில்லை யிடம்.

கருமணி – eye
பாவை – pupil
வீழும் – whom I fall for
திருநுதல் – திரு + நுதல் –  beautiful forehead

Thirukkural – 423

Whatever words we hear, uttered by whomsoever,
Wisdom is to discern real meaning of those words.

எப் பொருள் யார் யார் வாய்க் கேட்பினும், அப் பொருள்
மெய்ப்பொருள் காண்பது-அறிவு.

Don’t go by who said it. Go by what is said. Analyze those words, find out the real meaning behind them and act upon it. That is what Wisdom is. Much needed advice in Twitter.

Thirukkural – 272

What’s the use of lofty ascetic appearance – if one does
what his own heart knows is wrong.

வானுயர் தோற்ற மெவன்செய்யுந் தன்னெஞ்சந்
தானறி குற்றம் படின்.

Thirukkural – 1145

More one gets drunk, more is a drink desirable;
more our love gets gossiped, more is it blissful.

களித்தொறுங் கள்ளுண்டல் வேட்டற்றாற் காமம் 
வெளிப்படுந் தோறு மினிது.

Her friend advises her to pipe down as her love is becoming town gossip. She says “Like a drunkard relishing his drink as he gets more drunk, I relish our love more as our affair is gossiped and revealed to the public”.

This is under the chapter அலர்அறிவுறுத்தல் – Affair becomes public (Literal meaning is ‘Advising about Town gossip’)

களி – intoxicated
வேட்டல் – desirable

Thirukkural – 439

Never ever marvel at one’s own self!
Never wish to do a deed that yields no good!

வியவற்க, எஞ்ஞான்றும் தன்னை! நயவற்க,
நன்றி பயவா வினை!

Thiruvalluvar’s advice to Rulers. Never think too highly of oneself. Never even wish to do things that do not result in public good. வியத்தல் – wonder / marvel எஞ்ஞான்று – any day நயத்தல் – wish

Thirukkural – 672

Delay doing things that need to be delayed;
delay not those that are not to be delayed.

தூங்குக தூங்கிச் செயற்பால தூங்கற்க
தூங்காது செய்யும் வினை.

Nature of some jobs need them to done in gradual fashion. One shouldn’t rush to do them. Some other jobs needs to be done without delay. They should be done at the earliest.
தூங்கு – delay

Thirukkural – 115

Loss or gain is nothing new; to not lose evenness of mind
is the adornment of the learned.

கேடும் பெருக்கமும் இல்லல்ல நெஞ்சத்துக்
கோடாமை சான்றோர்க் கணி.

To lose one’s possessions or to gain the same is not something new. It is natural in the course of life. So the learned scholars do not lose their mind and deviate from fairness in both cases. That evenness is what defines them.

கேடு – loss
பெருக்கம் – gain
இல் அல்ல – இல்லாதவை அல்ல – not something new
கோடு – deviation
அணி  – adornment

Thirukkural – 573

Of what use is a tune, if it is not harmonious to sing?
Of what use is an eye, that lacks a kind sight?

பண் என் ஆம், பாடற்கு இயைபு இன்றேல்?-கண் என் ஆம்,
கண்ணோட்டம் இல்லாத கண்?

A tune that is not harmonious to sing is of no use. It provides no pleasure to the listener. Similarly an eye that lacks compassion is of no use. Though one may see with those eyes, it is as good as not seeing. ‘Use’ is not explicit in the original verse. I have made it explicit in translation.

The Tamil word கண்ணோட்டம் means kindly / benign / compassion, with the root word கண் – eye; ‘looking kindly at the other person.’.

‘பாடற்கு – பாடுவதற்கு – to sing’. Both Parimel Alagar and Devaneya Paavaaanar interpret it this way. However Mu Va and others treat it as ‘பாடலுக்கு – to the song’. G.U.Pope too in his translation interprets it as ‘to the song’ . Hence my translation differs from his.

பண் – Tune
இயைபு – suitable / harmonious
கண்ணோட்டம் – kindness / compassion

Thirukkural – 305

Guard against anger, if one wants to guard oneself;
If not, it will kill the angry person himself.

தன்னைத் தான் காக்கின், சினம் காக்க! காவாக்கால்,
தன்னையே கொல்லும், சினம்.