Tirukkural Chapter 22 - Couplets 7,8,9,10 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -THIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 22 - ஒப்புரவறிதல்
CHAPTER 22 - ON DECORUM
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22/07. மருந்தாகித் தப்பா மரத்தற்றால் செல்வம்
பெருந்தகை யாங்கண் படின்.

22/07. Marundhagith thappaa; maraththatrraal selvam
Perundhagai yagnkann padin.

22/07. If the wealth is with a decent man, it is like a medicinal tree
That gives medicine to all kind of diseases.
***
Girl: Maa, this sounds like the previous Kural. There it is fruit
And here it is medicine.

Mother: To me also, it sounds like that.
It is like a tree that gives fruits.
And now, that gives medicine,
Both useful to all living beings.

But in the modern days,
Wealth means hot business
Of making huge profit,
Hitting one below his belt.

Money plays a role,
Now just like a hell,
To the helpless poor,
For their daily succor.
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22/08. இடனில் பருவத்தும் ஒப்புரவிற்கு ஒல்கார்
கடன்அறி காட்சி யவர்.

22/08. Idanil paruvaththum oppuravirrkku olgaar
Kadanarri kaatchi yavar.

22/08. Even if a decent man loses his wealth,
He'll not hesitate to help others.
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Girl: Maa, What a decent man can do
When he had lost his wealth?

Mother: He'll not lose his decorum,
Beg or borrow, he'll help them,
As he has done previously
When he had more money.

His heart had become so soft
That he'll spend a sleepless night
If he had not served one
Whom, that day, he had seen.

What little wealth he has
He'll share with others
When he feels other's suffering
As his own suffering.
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22/09. நயன்உடையான் நல்கூர்ந்தான் ஆதல் செயும்நீர்
செய்யாது அமைகலா ஆறு.

22/09. Nayanudaiyaan nalkoorndhaan aadhal seiyumneer
Seiyaadhu amaikalaa aarru.

22/09. If a decent man becomes very poor
He'll feel very much for his helplessness to help others.
***
Girl: Maa, How a decent man feels for his helplessness?

Mother, yes my girl, it's but natural
For him in that manner to feel,
As he can't see people
Suffering for their daily dole.

Karna, in the battlefield,
Was dying with wounds,
But his life was there still
At Goddess Dharma's will.

Lord Krisna in disguise,
Begged him for his punyams.
Karna poured his blood
In Krishna's two hands.

He offered his punyams,
All the self earned virtues,
That was protecting him
And gave up his life then.
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22/10. ஒப்புரவி னால்வரும் கேடெனின் அஃதொருவன்
விற்றுக்கோள் தக்கது உடைத்து.

22/10. Oppuravi naalvarum kedenin akdhoruvan
Virrukkoll thakkadhu udaiththu.

22/10. That kind of poverty one gets due to his decent deeds
Is worth purchasing by selling one own self.
***
Girl: Maa, what finally the poet says in this chapter?

Mother: Finally the poet says,
That if poverty he has to face
Due to his decent deeds
It's worth at his cost.

A wealthy man is
Not always happy
Nor a poor man is
Always unhappy.

A life of decorum
Both of them
Should maintain
In any situation.
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