Tirukkural Chapter 97 - Couplets 4,5,6 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 97 - மானம்
CHAPTER 97 - HONOUR
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97/04. தலையின் இழிந்த மயிரனையர் மாந்தர்
நிலையின் இழிந்தக் கடை.

97/04. Thalaiyin izhindha mayirinaiyar maandhar
Nilaiyin izhindha kadai.

97/04. If a man falls down from the high position of honor,
he is compared to a head's hair that fell down with its root.
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Hamsa: One's degradation takes place
When he loses his honor.

Saroj: The poet is comparing it,
To a hair fell down with its root,
When one's honor is lost,
And he's not feeling for it.

Not feeling for his downfall,
Like that of a hair fall,
He must be a shameless man
Made of very thick skin.

People hate to see his black face,
With no smile, not even a trace,
Having lost his prestigious honor
That can't be restored any longer.
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97/05. குன்றின் அனையாரும் குன்றுவர் குன்றுவ
குன்றி அனைய செயின்.

97/05. Kundrin anaiyaarum kundrruvar kundrruva
Kundrri Anaya seiyin.

97/05. If one does a shameless deed, let it be of a grain size,
and he may be a mountain like big man,
but his respect will go down before others.
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Hamsa: One drop of poison in a cup of milk
Make the entire milk unsafe.

Saroj: Like that, one small shameless action,
Reduces a man's reputation,
To the lowest level possible
And he's hated by people.

He can't say, "Many people I helped,
One old man died, as I hit him behind,
For that people are abusing me,
Forgetting all good things done by me."

There is no justification for him
For doing a small or big crime,
Because he did good things
To wipe out poor people's tears.
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97/06. புகழின்றால் புத்தேள்நாட்டு உய்யாதால் என்மற்று
இகழ்வார்பின் சென்று நிலை?

97/06. Pugazhinrraal puththellnaattu uyyaadhaal enmatrru
Igazhvaarpin sendrru nilai?

97/06. Why should one follow those who criticized him?
Why live under them losing all self respect?
That kind of life will not give fame or show way to heaven;
Then why many people live, losing their honors?
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Hamsa: The poet is asking many questions
Relevant to one losing his honor, but still living
Under people who criticize him?

Saroj: The poet's questions are relevant
To a man, who had lost his self respect,
And also his honor what he had
Before he did a shameless deed.

People may spit on his face,
Yet, he wipes it out from his face
And remains silent about it
As he's helpless to fight.

No more fame, he can attain,
Nor can he reach heaven,
By his shameless action,
That attracted their attention.
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