Old Tamil Poetry

Thirukkural – 1258

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.

Thirukkural – 1121

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

Thirukkural – 601

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

Thirukkural – 733

Even when overburdened, bearing it and paying
taxes due to the ruler – that’s a country.

Thirukkural – 1285

Like an eye not seeing the kohl liner while lining,
I don’t see my lover’s faults when I see him.

எழுதுங்கால் கோல் காணாக் கண்ணேபோல், கொண்கன்
பழி காணேன், கண்ட இடத்து.

An eye cannot see the eyeliner pen when it is close to the eye and is used to line. Similarly, when I see my lover, I forget all his faults.

கொண்கன் – Husband / chief of sea shore
கோல் – (eyeliner) pen

Thirukkural – 387

With pleasing words one who’s able to provide and protect,

this world yields to his wishes.

இன் சொலால் ஈத்து, அளிக்க வல்லாற்குத் தன் சொலால்
தான் கண்டனைத்து, இவ் உலகு.

A ruler who speaks pleasantly, provides to the need and protects his citizens from harm will find this world yielding to his wishes. 

Thirukkural 978

Ever humble are the great; the lowly

praise themselves pompously.

பணியுமாம் என்றும் பெருமை சிறுமை
அணியுமாம் தன்னை வியந்து.

Great men are always humble. The lowly ones think high of their meagre achievements and praise themselves.

Thirukkural – 1166

இன்பம் கடல் அற்றுக் காமம்; மற்று அஃது அடுங்கால்,
துன்பம் அதனின் பெரிது.

Pleasure of love is like a sea; misery
of it, when apart, is even bigger.

Pleasure enjoyed by the lovers when their love is satiated, is like a sea. But the same love causes misery when they are apart, misery that is even bigger than the sea sized pleasure.

அற்று – like
மற்று – later
அடு – trouble (caused by separation)

Thirukkural – 294

If one acts with no falsity in his heart,
he’s revered in the hearts of wise.

உள்ளத்தால் பொய்யாது ஒழுகின், உலகத்தார்
உள்ளத்துள் எல்லாம் உளன்.

If a man acts true to his heart without any falsity, he will be in the hearts of great men , meaning he will be respected by them.

உள்ளம் – heart / soul

ஒழுகல் – conduct / behaviour

உலகத்தார் – உயர்ந்தோர் – great men / wise men

உளன் – is there

Thirukkural – 1000

Wealth inherited by the mannerless 
is pure milk curdled by impure vessel.

பண்பு இலான் பெற்ற பெருஞ் செல்வம்-நன் பால்
கலம் தீமையால் திரிந்தற்று.

The purpose of wealth is to help others. When wealth is acquired by mannerless and boorish, it goes waste just like pure milk in an impure vessel getting curdled. Thiruvalluvar uses “பெற்ற – acquired / inherited” instead of “ஈட்டிய – earned” to show that the virtue less people aren’t capable of earning wealth.