Thiruvalluvar's Couplets On 'Intrepidity In Misery' Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

621. Smile when troubles assail you. That inner joy,
unequal, alone will vanquish your grief.
622. Floods of sorrow uncontrolled will be overcome
when a stubborn wise man ponders over it.
623. Those who grieve not by vexing sorrow
cause sorrow itself to be grief-stricken.
624. Grief would grieve when it afflicts a man who pulls through
the woes, like the bulls drawing a cart through obstacles.
625. When oodles of tribulations pile up against a strong heart
afflictions afflict themselves and abort.
626. Those who aren’t miserly in prosperity
do not grieve in poverty.
627. The wise don’t moan for the calamities met
as they know well, our body is the butt of sorrow.
628. Those who don’t yearn for pleasure, suffer not for woes
as they are clear that coming of woes is natural.
629. One who doesn’t revel at times of pleasure
doesn’t suffer at times of sorrow.
630. If you learn to take pain as pleasure,
your enemies too will extol and exalt you.