Protecting The Wealth [from 'proverbs 400' In Tamil] Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

205. O, chief of the hills with beautiful chill falls!
The snail saves water with it for the future.
Let people weigh their wealth and of their kin
and save the excess for the use in future.

206. O, chief of the coastal groves and salt-pan
with slapping waters! No one knows to redeem
the lost wealth! Save your wealth yourself. The wise
don't keep their wealth with the kin or great men.

207. Keeping guard over a rare thing in a place
not fit is difficult e'en with sleepless eyes.
The vulture stole the gods-guarded nectar.
Keep round the clock vigil for the rare objects.

208. O, chief of the cool coast where the salt-pans
Have no channels to drain the sloping waters!
If one gives the hard-earned wealth to the low-born
to guard, it is to a crow guarding the rice.

209. O, mother with bangles worn forehand and chief
Of the cool coast with bursting ‘Neithal' buds
spreading good scent! Keeping the hard earned wealth
with low born is feeding the old bull with grass.

210. O, good wench with painted eyes! They fail to get
things in good time and aim for them at hard time.
They put butter on the head of a peacock
to catch when the butter melts and shuts its eyes.

211. O, wench peacock-shaped with deer-like looks!
Money lent without proof will not return e'en
to the wise knowing world trends! The lenders let
the hand into the snake pot to get it back.

212. When the lender roams and meets the borrower
to get back his money, if the borrower
feigns as envied, that too will give pain
to the lender.