Thiruvalluvar's Couplets On Fame Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

231. Live to be bounteous to the poor to win fame.
Is there more useful gain for the humans than this name?
232. What the speakers talk about a man is his renown
as his largesse to the needy makes him well known.
233. Except the matchless soaring repute
nothing else, to be eternal in this world, is to depute.
234. If a man achieves in this world unending honour
the praise of the heavens, not the scholars, but he’ll corner.
235. To the wise alone, their glory ups when their wealth descends.
When their body decays, to eternity, their fame ascends.
236. Make your public appearance as a privileged man.
Otherwise, better to shut yourself off, if you can.
237. For living without praise, they themselves must regret.
About those who despise them, why do they fret?
238. If they do not earn the lasting fame,
for them all on the earth, it will be a crying shame.
239. If the earth bears the burden of those without renown
the blameless, profuse produce of the earth will drop down.
240. Live, those who are not in disgrace.
Live not, those who of fame, have no trace.