The Fear Of Begging [from 'naaladiyaar' In Tamil] Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

301. The rich braggarts look at the poor and comment:
"These indigent men live by our grace;
they will never earn their own money".
Will the sane wise follow these ill-bred rich?

302. For doing ignoble, mean deeds to eat
stomachful, it isn't a fault to bear hunger.
When life takes a wink's time to get in and out
of our body, don't do base acts to feed it.

303. Poverty leads a man to do vile deeds
and makes him dare eat in the house of others.
But the noble enter the house of the kind
who invite and embrace, and not of others.

304. Despite wealth left him and God frowned at him
the great remains firm and does brave deeds.
They don't go after the miserly low-born,
who know not truths and prostrate before them.

305. Life is life if you don't beg e'en the persons,
who are deceitless and show unflinching love.
When the mind grieves on thinking about begging
how will it be agonizing to receive alms?

306. What is the solution for begging oneself
with coming troubles and leaving pleasures?
While grieving out of desires, the heart aspires
to more, losing sense and begging the strangers!

307. O, Chief of the hills where the streams bring gold!
Though new ones are born in this world, the beggars
should not be mocked. Those who give others
whatever possible, be not born again.

308. When hunger stings the body, truth at heart spoils.
One meets a rich man and begs him for something.
If the well-off man doesn't offer help,
won't the beggar dishonored die in shame?

309. It is a custom for the poor to bank on
the rich and follow his footsteps in life.
It is better than to give up one's honor
and beg the wealthy for some help.

310. The rich man can help his old friend in want
based on their old friendship with the right to help.
Stretch hand not if he wants not the crutch. To save
honor is prudent, to ward off grief at heart.