On Begging (By St. Thiruvalluvar) Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

1051. When you see people who can afford to give, beg them.
If they hide and deny alms, the fault is theirs and not yours.
1052. Begging is a pleasure to them
if what begged comes at their ease.
1053. It is a beauty to stand and beg persons
who are innocent and dutiful to give.
1054. Begging is a pleasure like giving
if those who don’t hide the alms even in dreams are begged.
1055. As there are people who do not conceal and refuse alms
the beggars stand before their eyes and beg.
1056. Even the sight of those not sick of hiding and denying alms
will destroy all the misery of poverty.
1057. When the beggars see the givers who do not insult,
their hearts feel immense pleasure.
1058. If there are no mendicants in this cool, vast land
People will come and go like wooden puppets along strings.
1059. If the mendicants are not desirous of begging for things
What fame and name will the givers attain?
1060. The beggars must not feel useless wrath on the givers.
Their misery out of poverty stands proof for it.