Tirukkural Chapter 18 - Couplets 4,5,6 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -THIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 18 - வெஃகாமை
CHAPTER 18 - NON-COVETING
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18/04. இலம்என்று வெஃகுதல் செய்யார் புலம்வென்ற
புன்மையில் காட்சி யவர்.

18/04. Ilamendru vekkudhal seiyaar pulamvendra
Punmayil kaatchi yavar.

18/04. A flawless man, who has controlled five senses,
Will not covet other's property, saying he'll never become poor
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Disciple: Guruji, Will great men wish for other's property?

Guru: If they go so low then,
They're not really great men.
A man is considered as wise,
Because he has good habits.

When a man controls
All his five senses,
Would he like to covet
Any other man's asset?

They'll never do like that.
They know well, a covetous act
Is a sin as well as a crime,
That'll bring on them shame.
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18/05. அக்கி அகன்ற அறிவென்னாம் யார்மாட்டும்
வெஃகி வெறிய செயின்?

18/05. Akkiagandra arrivennaam yaarmaattum
Vekki verriya cheyin.

18/05. If a learned person does covetous job with others' things
Of what use is his gaining expert knowledge?
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Disciple: If an educated person covets others' things what to do?

Guru: It's a right question,
That can be answered by none.
Of What use his education is
If he's doing like this?

His perverted intelligence,
Makes his studies useless,
When he wants to covet
Any other man's asset.

No one can help him,
But God only can mend him,
And give him a better sense,
Not to covet others' things.
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18/06. அருள்வெக்கி ஆற்றின்கண் நின்றான் பொருள்வெஃகிப்
பொல்லாத சூழக் கெடும்.

18/06. Arullvekki aatrrinkann nindrran porulvekkip
Pollaadha soozhak kedum.

18/06. A man who goes in the spiritual path
If he goes in covetous path, he will destroy himself soon.
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Disciple: How can, one in spiritual path, go in covetous path?

Guru: He may be a spiritual person,
But diverting his attention
To the covetous path is bad,
As it'll take him to a sad end.

When a vehicle going on left side
Suddenly turns to wrong side,
Imagine what will happen?
It'll result in an accident then.

Like this, if a right man
Turns as a wrong man,
That'll be his downfall
Criticized by one and all.
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