Tirukkural Chapter 66 - Couplets 4,5,6 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 66 - வினைத் தூய்மை
CHAPTER 66 - ON PURITY IN ACTION
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66/04. இடுக்கண் படினும் இளிவந்த செய்யார்
நடுக்கற்ற காட்சி யவர்.

66/04. Idukkann padinum illivandha seiyaar
Nadukkatrra katchi yavar.

66/04. A great man will never try to do mean things
To remove whatever trouble that has come.
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Gagan: A great man is great because
He'll never resort to menial jobs
To solve any of his problems.

Mukesh: A man of purity in action,
Will never go so mean
To solve his problems,
Against his conscience.

That's the laudable reason,
Why he's a great man,
Appreciated by everyone,
For his purity in action.

He may even prefer
From his side to suffer
Rather than taking bribes
To settle his heavy debts.
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66/05. எற்றென்று இரங்குவ செய்யற்க; செய்வானேல்
மற்றன்ன செய்யாமை நன்று.

66/05. Etrrendru iranguva seiyarrka; seivaaneal
Matrrana seiyaamai nandru.

66/05. One must not do a thing, for which he will regret later on.
Having done that, it will be good, if he doesn't regret for that.
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Gagan: Care must be taken before doing the work
Otherwise one will regret after doing the work.

Mukesh: There must be a proper plan
Before starting the work into action,
And every progress of the work then
Must be reviewed according to plan.

If there is no plan or estimate,
If one wants to execute,
And the work comes to a halt,
Then he'll surely regret.

When it's an uphill task,
One must not take any risk
As it'll result in loss
Of labour and materials.
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66/06. ஈன்றாள் பசிகாண்பாள் ஆயினும் செய்யற்க
சான்றோர் பழிக்கும் வினை.

66/06. Eendraal pasikaannbaall aayinum seiyarrka
Saandror pazhikkum vinai.

66/06. Even if one sees his mother is hungry, he must not
Do a thing condemned by great men, just to satisfy her.
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Gagan: One must not justify that he stole for his mother's sake
As she was hungry.

Mukesh: There is no justification
For one performing a wrong action,
Saying, "My mother was hungry
So, I had to steal his property."

When stealing is a crime,
Inviting everyone's blame,
Without any kind of shame,
Why he's doing the same?

Great men condemn one
As stealing things is a sin,
And one can't justify his action
That he did it for some good reason.
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