Old Tamil Poetry

Thirukkural – 1289

Fragile than a flower, love-making is;
few know how to savor it properly.

மலரினும் மெல்லிது காமம்; சிலர், அதன்
செவ்வி தலைப்படுவார்.

Making love is not just physical union of bodies. Various factors such as right partner,right time and right setting have to come together for one to enjoy it to the fullest. It has to be handled carefully or it may all go wrong. Few people in the world enjoy it right.

Thirukkural – 1111

Tender are you, Anicham* flower! May you prosper!
Softer than you, is the girl I yield to.

நன்னீரை வாழி யனிச்சமே நின்னினும்
மென்னீரள் யாம்வீழ் பவள்.

அனிச்சம் (Anicham) is a flower often mentioned in Sangam poetry. Possibly a type of Pimpernel, though there is no consensus among scholars. This flower was so tender and delicate that it droops when it is smelled. The girl whom he has fallen for is softer than that flower.

நன்னீரை – நல்ல நீர்மை உடையது  – Fine / Tender quality
அனிச்சம் – scarlet pimpernel (?)
மென்னீரள் – மென்மையான நீர்மை உடையவள் – Soft natured girl
வீழ்பவள் – (one whom I) fall to

Thirukkural – 1092

Quick stealthy glance is not half the pleasure
of making love, it’s more.

கண்களவு கொள்ளுஞ் சிறுநோக்கம் காமத்திற்
செம்பாக மன்று பெரிது.

Her quick glance at him gives him so much pleasure that he thinks that this is not half the pleasure of making love, it is more than that. Love is in the mind, not just the physical act. So Valluvar stresses on the anticipation and eagerness of love more than the physical act itself.

Thirukkural – 1327

Loser in lover’s tiff wins; that’s
evident while making love.

ஊடலின் தோற்றவர் வென்றார்; அது மன்னும்
கூடலின் காணப்படும்.

One who pretends to lose in lover’s tiff will gain much more in the love making that follows.

Thirukkural – 1009

Strangers will seize the wealth of the insular,
who neither savor nor share.

அன்பு ஒரீஇ, தற் செற்று, அறம் நோக்காது, ஈட்டிய
ஒண் பொருள் கொள்வார், பிறர்.

The wealth earned by one who insulates oneself from relatives, and who neither relishes it nor shares it, is bound to be seized by others.

Thirukkural – 473

Overrating oneself, unaware of true strength,
and destroyed by the foe, are many.

உடைத் தம் வலி அறியார், ஊக்கத்தின் ஊக்கி,
இடைக்கண் முரிந்தார் பலர்.

One should be aware of one’s own strength and not over rate oneself getting carried away. There are many in history who thought so and were destroyed by a stronger enemy.

Thirukkural – 1090

Wine pleases only those who drink,
not those who behold, as love does.

உண்டார்கண் அல்லது, அடுநறா, காமம்போல்
கண்டார் மகிழ் செய்தல் இன்று.

Wine gives pleasure only to those who drink it. But love gives pleasure just by the sight of a lover.

Thirukkural – 304

Is there a greater foe than anger
that kills one’s smile and joy?

நகையும் உவகையும் கொல்லும் சினத்தின்
பகையும் உளவோ, பிற?.

Anger is a man’s greatest enemy as it kills his smile and happiness.

Thirukkural – 494

Foes who assumed victory will lose that thought,
If one learns and adapts to the field.

எண்ணியார் எண்ணம் இழப்பர்-இடன் அறிந்து
துன்னியார் துன்னிச் செயின்

Thirukkural – 783

Pleasure of a book increases on every read,
likewise a good friendship on every meet.

நவில்தொறும் நூல் நயம் போலும்-பயில்தொறும்,
பண்பு உடையாளர் தொடர்பு.

Thirukkural 783. Like a book that one relishes on repeated reading, so does the joy of a good person’s friendship increase on regular interaction.