Nature Of The Low-Born [from 'proverbs 400' In Tamil] Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

90. The swelling, sweet rivers flow into the sea
yet the sea doesn't lose its saltiness.
If joining with the wise amends, not the minds,
they are low-born.

91. O, Chief of the fertile lands abound with cranes!
For the cause of your living with the worthy
You should not befriend the lowly men.
Don't think of eating sugar mixed with sand.

92. O, man with a chest of mountainous strength!
Can the mean men doing the worst things
perform the acts of experts, who do their work
themselves? A snail's moves aren't letters to the wise.

93. There are blossoming trees which yield no fruits.
The old men don't know the results of actions.
The seeds sown in the manured, ridged bed sprout not.
And giving advice never lights up their minds.

94. Don't preach the rude who know not self-probed ideas
and manners of the world. One which eats blue
doesn't change. The rude stick to their ideas
and don't come out of them.

95. One who speaks ill of others won't take more time
to imprecate you. Don't believe such men.
Though they've good friends they don't behave themselves.
Even if the gods eat neem, it tastes bitter.

96. Despite you bring up a quail by hand daily
It's mind always dwells in the jungle.
Though the sinful beastly jungle dweller stays
in the town, he doesn't live by morals.

97. O, chief of the coast with flowers of Punnai,
driving out the smell of meat. The longing
eater feels not the struggles of the prey.
A low-born killer minds not the coming blame.

98. O, chief of the coast with Adambu creepers!
Evil-doers should know the ways to come out.
Or else they ought to repeat the vile deeds.
It is sinking in a pond while taking bath.

99. Those who can't beat the worst foes relish the words
of abuses on them, said by others.
Those who swill toddy feel the pleasure
of looking at it as they have a nice food.

100.O, chief of the coast with waves of sounding drums!
With no love, the friend whipped hard, treated again
by the worst means, it likens for shortening
a span of length, lengthen it to a forearm.

101. In poverty, the low-born do sins to eat.
In wealth, they care not for the heaven and do
acts of vice. The unlearned have this nature.
The fox hasn't good or bad time to eat the corpse.

102. Without heeding the good words of the wise
the mean does evil things out of ignorance.
Is there any idiot who knows not him?
Are there the townsmen who don't know the wild bull?

103. O, chief of the hill tracts with grooves and trees!
Monkeys with fair faces aren't seen at all times.
Probing the long tradition of the low-born
We see no one is there with a good conduct.

104. O, wench with lisping words of the sweet lute!
To desert the men living in good ways
and enhance the friendship with the low-born,
is to plant the Etti[poisonous] where the Jack-fruit stands.

105. O. townsman with spotted beetles alighting
on flowers and make music! If the respects
denied to the great are showered on the mean,
it is like putting the saddles on a dog.

106. Showering love on others, doing not crimes
and having all the riches aren't enough
for the low-born to be the high-born,
if he rids not of guilt and be the noble.