Tirukkural Chapter 23 - Couplets 4,5,6 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -THIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 23 - ஈகை
CHAPTER 23 - ON LIBERALITY
***
23/04. இன்னாது இரக்கப் படுதல் இரந்தவர்
இன்முகம் காணும் அளவு.

23/04. Innaadhu irakkap padudhal irandhavar
Inmugham kaannum allavu.

23/04. If one takes pity, without giving anything, is of no good,
Until he sees the receiver's smiling face after he gets what he wants.
***
Disciple: Without giving anything how one can take pity?

Guru: Mere word-sympathy will not
Solve one's immediate requirement,
And when he gets what he wants
One can see a smile on his face.

A donor must be liberal in action,
Not giving lectures to a man,
At a time when that person
Seeks for some donation.

Perhaps, the intention here is
Without speaking mere words,
Give the receiver with a smile
Take from the giver with a smile
***
23/05. ஆற்றுவார் ஆற்றல் பசியாற்றல்; அப்பசியை
மாற்றுவார் ஆற்றலின் பின்.

23/05. Aarrtruvaar aarrtral pasiyarrtral; appasiyai
Maarrtruvaar aarrtralin pin.

23/05. A person who is fasting bears the pain of hunger.
But that is not greater than relieving the pain of a hungry man.
***
Disciple: The pain of hunger one knows
Only when he is fasting.

Guru: A fasting person knows
What the hunger-pain is.
If his stomach is full,
He doesn't know hunger well.

One can realize other's pain,
Only when he suffers pain,
Once he knows what pain is
Then only he pities others.

Thereafter he helps others,
When a chance for it comes,
Not with a grumbling face
But with a smiling face.
***
23/06. அற்றார் அழிபசி தீர்த்தல்; அஃதொருவன்
பெற்றான் பொருள்வைப் புழி.

23/06. Atrraar azhipasi theerthal; akdhoruvan
Petrraan porullvaip puzhi

23/06. The hunger kills the character of a poor man
And if a rich man relieves it, then that will save a good place for him.
***
Disciple: Guruji, rich man should help poor man,
But is this going on now?

Guru: God helps those men
Who helps poor men.
Only in that sense,
We should take this.

Among all the charities,
The best one considered is
Giving food to a person,
Who has hunger pain.

One wants to give more,
But another wants not more
Than what he can eat,
So, giving food is great.
***