Acts Of The Low -Born [from 'proverbs 400' In Tamil] Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

107.If the mediocre men underrate the great,
think of them as unfit commoners, speak on
with indecent words, and treat them unequal,
it is like the dog barking at the moon.

108."No rebirth. Do acts needful to attain
whatever you want"-One who preaches like this
resembles one who suggests to eat the bricks
avoiding the syrupy cake dipped in ghee"

109.Not foreseeing the sorrow in the offing
If you do helpful acts to the cruel base men.
It likens to weed out the blood suckers
From the cruel face of the wild tiger.

110.You mix mud with cut up hay and water
yet you find that mud is useless to build
and it will ne'er be a good mixture later.
Don't love the vile though they grieved for you.


111.To lessen the lasting hatred, the low-born
pierce through the foes to resent the peace-makers.
It is like the raw rider cracking the whip
to move the white horse, gets knocked down.

112.Staying in the house of one who heeds not
Your words, doesn't give respect, and hurls hostile words
is like sitting within the chariot
and removing the linch-pin

113.To adore and live with the beastly tossers
who're shameless, unkind to the kin, living
by evil deeds, and disliked by all, is like
injecting the worms into the septic wounds.

114.O, good man! The frog hiding in the sand
becomes the prey to the foe as it croaks.
The fools who backbite and speak ill of others
get into the trouble by the words they speak.

115 What's the use of abusing the men who praise
others face to face, be friendly but backbite
in their absence? No vengeance is there
to take on one whose nose has been cut.

116 O, chief of the coast with tossing ships
like toddy drunk tipplers! No one can restrain
the tongues of evil speakers. Can anyone
carry the wind on his shoulders?

117.Not rescinding the vile acts of the dippy
who know not good and bad, if they do mean things,
ignore the wise men and don't keep off from flaws,
will find fault with them who quote their mistakes.

118.The doer of cruelty to others in stealth
doesn't disclose it in fear if treated harsh.
Fearing the penalty for hiding the truth
of the crime done deserves no remedy.

119.O, chief of the hills with creeper like streams
flowing down! The vicious without wisdom,
loathed by all, likens the mad man sitting
in a square where four streets meet.

120.If denied respect, you build self-esteem
and do acts belittling. If given respect,
act ‘gainst them. One who grieves all with a dark mind
is like the small stones caught in the slippers.

121.If taken off a job without accusing
one of a severe crime, just after placing
in that job, being found fit, it is silly.
It likens the children-made grove wiped ‘way soon.

122.O, chief of the hill tracts with streaming rills!
When persons of name and fame remain poor,
The coffers of the low-born swell in wealth.
The bottle gourd sinks but the grinding stone floats.

123.Is there no poison to kill the hellish men
who do evil without mercy and thought,
insult and speak low of them and do hateful
deeds against the relations around?