Tirukkural Chapter 108 - Couplets 7,8,9,10 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

Tirukkural Chapter 108 - Couplets 7,8,9,10



திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 108 - கயமை
CHAPTER 108 - MEANNESS
***
108/07. ஈர்ங்கை விதிரார் கயவர் கொடிறுடைக்கும்
கூன்கையர் அல்லா தவர்க்கு.

108/07. Erngkai vidhiraar kayavar kodirrudaikkum
Koonkaiyar allaa dhavarkku.

108/07. Mean minded people will not spare
Even single left over rice from their palm
After eating their food, excepting to those ruffians
Who are capable of slapping their cheeks and breaking their jaws.
***
Aaditya: It is really horrible to see the relationship
Of low class men with mean minded people.

Madhukar: Who'll join low class men?
Will any gentleman prefer to join?
So, they seek the company alternatively
Of mean minded people naturally.

When two devils join together,
Havoc only they create thereafter,
Disturbing the peace in their places
By giving public all kinds of troubles.

Mean minded people are misers
Who'll not give single cooked rice
To any starving poor man,
Excepting to a devilish man.
***
108/08. சொல்லப் பயன்படுவர் சன்றோர்; கரும்புபோல்
கொல்லப் பயன்படும் கீழ்.

108/08. Sollap payanpaduvar saandrror; karumbupoal
Kollap payanpadum keezh.

108/08. Upper class people will help
At once when one tells his difficulties,
But lower class people will give only,
When they are squeezed like a sugar cane.
***
Aaditya: That is the difference between
Upper and lower class people.

Madhukar: Lower class people
Will squeeze weak people
And take money from them
But will not give a coin to them.

Upper class people are generally kind
And when suffering people they find
They try to help those people
To the extent possible.

If low class people don't beat
It's more than a good treat,
And one should not expect
Any help from those beasts.
***
108/09. உடுப்பதூஉம் உண்பதூஉம் காணின் பிறர்மேல்
வடுக்காண வற்றாகும் கீழ்.

108/09. Uduppadhoom unnbadhoom kaannin pirrarmel
Vadukkaanna vatrraagum keezh.

108/09. If a mean fellow sees a decent man,
Dressing and eating well with a comfortable life,
He'll use his talent to put some blame on him
And try his best to spoil his name.
***
Aaditya: Before the eyes of a mean person
A decent man must not appear.

Madhukar: A mean person's mouth
Contains all kinds of filth,
That automatically comes out
Seeing a decent man on the spot.

Over his tongue, he has no control,
That'll talk rubbish against people,
Who are decently dressed,
And eat sumptuous food.

He'll throw some blames,
And try to spoil their names,
If they refuse to give him
Money to save their names.
***
108/10. எற்றிற்கு உரியர் கயவர்ஒன்று உற்றக்கால்
விற்றற்கு உரியர் விரைந்து.

108/10. Etrrirrkku uriyar kayavarondrru utrrakkaal
Vitrrarrku uriyar viraindhu.

108/10. How mean minded persons are helpful?
They will sell themselves as cash paid coolies
To do all kinds of criminal jobs.
***
Aaditya: They're dangerous men involved
In all kinds of criminal activities.

Madhukar: There are paid gangsters,
Who do all criminal activities,
Including murdering, looting,
Waylaying, pick pocketing.

Those mean minded persons
Join hands with gangsters,
Doing all criminal jobs
To share their booties.

They all go to any extent,
For their ransom to get,
And these underground bandits
Are spread in all countries.
***

Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Topic(s) of this poem: poem
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Rajaram Ramachandran

Rajaram Ramachandran

Chennai born, now at Juhu, Mumbai, India
Close
Error Success