Tirukkural Chapter 57 - Couplets 1,2,3 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 57 - வெருவந்த செய்யாமை
CHAPTER 57 - ON TYRANNY
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57/01. தக்காங்கு நாடித் தலைச்செல்லா வண்ணத்தில்
ஒத்தாங்கு ஒறுப்பது வேந்து.

57/01. Thakkaangu naadith thalaichellaa vannaththil
Oththaangu orrppadhu vendhu.

57/01. A King is one, who impartially examines one's crime,
And punish him suitably to prevent him doing crime again.
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Balagopal: A King's duty is to punish a criminal
And protect innocent people.

Damodar: True, a King can't be tyrannical,
By not punishing criminals,
And not protecting innocent people,
But he should be kind and simple.

If this duty he's not doing
Then what for he is a King?
A dummy can sit on the throne
Instead of this mad man.

There were a few Kings,
Who were called tyrants,
But they all miserably died
Or by frustrated people killed.
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57/02. கடிதோச்சி மெல்ல எறிக நெடிதாக்கம்
நீங்காமை வேண்டு பவர்.

57/02. Kadithochchi mella erriga nedithaakkam
Neengaamai vendu bavar.

57/02. If wealth has to stay for long with a King, he must punish limited to the
Seriousness of a crime and if he wants to give excessive punishment, let him do it mildly.
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Balagopal: A King must not give excessive punishment
More than what is due for a crime committed.

Damodar: A King must be reasonable
In awarding punishment to a criminal
And give him not excessive punishment
More than what he deserves for it.

To punish a criminal severely,
Let him act so, but do it mildly,
That'll save his wealth securely
And it'll serve the purpose surely.

A criminal, who is punished,
Should be rehabilitated,
After the period is over,
As a corrective measure.
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57/03. வெருவந்த செய்தொழுகும் வெங்கோலன் ஆயின்
ஒருவந்தம் ஒல்லைக் கெடும்.

57/03. Veruvandha cheidhozugum vengkolan aayin
Oruvandham ollaik kedum.

57/03. If a tyrant King tortures his subjects,
He'll surely perish soon.
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Balagopal: The names of tyrant Kings were never reported
In the history of Kings.

Damodar: Tyrant Kings were far and few.
About them the historians knew,
But they didn't, in detail, write,
For the posterity to go through it.

Such tyrants were bad example
And were guillotined by people
Or driven out from their thrones
As they couldn't bear their tortures.

Finally people's decisions remain
To honor a King so human
Or dishonor a King so inhuman,
This picture in the past, we've seen.
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