Tirukkural Chapter 44 - Couplets 4,5,6 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 44 - குற்றங் கடிதல்
CHAPTER 44 - TO DESTROY FAULTS
***
44/04. குற்றமே காக்க பொருளாகக் குற்றமே
அற்றம் தரூஉம் பகை.

44/04. Kutrrame kaakka porullaagak kutrrame
Atrram tharoom pagai.

44/04. Fault is an enemy that may destroy one.
So he should be careful in avoiding it.
***
Lalitha: Whatever care one may take
One may commit a small mistake.

Saraswathi: While carving a stone,
Extra care must be taken;
If a small crack comes,
That deity is unfit for use.

Even a drop of poison
In a cup of milk
One can't take it
For a drink, as it's unfit.

Like this, a small mistake
In a battlefield can make
That entire unit defenseless
In the enemy actions.
***
44/05. வருமுன்னர்க் காவாதான் வாழ்க்கை எரிமுன்னர்
வைத்தாறு போலக் கெடும்.

44/05. Varummunnark kaavaathaan vaazhkkai erimunnar
Vaiththaarru polak kedum.

44/05. One, who has not safeguarded his life before danger comes, gets spoiled.
It is just like a hay stake that is destroyed in fire.
***
Lalitha: One should care for his life from dangers.

Saraswathi: True, he travels by foot board.
Suddenly his legs slip out from the board.
What happens in the running train?
By his carelessness, he lost his life then.

One is driving his motor bike
At a high speed to overtake
A lorry running before him,
But the lorry crushes him.

The valve one fails to close.
The cylinder leaks out gas.
Under fire the house burns.
Now whose fault it is?

One should foresee danger.
When and where it may occur,
Now he may not be aware.
For safety, why not one takes care?
***
44/06. தங்குற்றம் நீக்கிப் பிறர்குற்றம் காண்கிற்பின்
என்குற்றம் ஆகும் இறைக்கு.

44/06. Thangkutrram neengip pirrarkutrram kaangirrpin
Enkutrram aagum irraikku.

44/06. What blame a king will get, when he forgets his own faults
And finds fault with others.
***
Lalitha: One should gracefully admit his faults
Before finding faults with others.

Saraswathi: One fails to admit his fault
But he'll try to shift it
On a man so innocent,
That he'll not do it.

Next to God, a King is,
And will not commit faults
Even if it's a fault,
People will ignore that.

When the King Pandian
Realized he killed Kovalan
Kannagi's husband for his fault
He fell down died on the spot.

Like that there were kings
Honest in their rules
In those moral days,
That is rare now-a-days.
***