Tirukkural Chapter 88 - Couplets 7,8,9,10 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 88 - பகைத்திறம் தெரிதல்.
CHAPTER 88 - KNOWING ENEMIES' STRENGTH
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88/07. நோவற்க நொந்தது அறியார்க்கு; மேவற்க
மென்மை பகைவர் அகத்து.

88/07. Novarrka nondhadhu arriyaarkku; mayvarrka
Menmai paghaivar aghaththu.

88/07. To a man who does not know that you have become poor,
you should not reveal to him that you are poor.
Likewise, if you are weaker than your enemy,
you must not show him that you are weak.
***
Jignesh: One's weakness others must not know,
Or else they will take advantage of his weakness.

Mangal: His enemy must not know
His weakness and he must show
That he's very much strong to face
If there is an attack from his enemies.

A show of strength by words
Is literally a verbal war,
Before the actual war,
Begins from both sides.

One will say, "I'll kill you, "
The other one, "I'll destroy you, "
This kind of talk goes,
Before the field war starts.
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88/08. வகையறிந்து தற்செய்து தற்காப்ப மாயும்
பகைவர்கண் பட்ட செருக்கு.

88/08. Vagaiyarindhu tharrseidhu tharrkaappa maayum
Pagaivarkann patta serukku.

88/08. Whatever said about war strategy so far,
if one knows well and keeps himself and his self defense strong,
the courage his enemies have will disappear.
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Jignesh: One will get benefits out of the poet's suggestions
On war strategies what he has said in his previous couplets.

Mangal: His suggestions were valid
Some 2000 years ago when he wrote,
But some of them are too old
To be modified and adopted.

The modern space wars
Differ from the field wars
Of the ancient days
In several strategic ways.

Yet, his ideas can be modified
Somehow suitably and adopted
Wherever it can be easily done
To keep overall peace by anyone.
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88/09. இளைதாக முள்மரம் கொல்க; களையுநர்
கைகொல்லும் காழ்த்த இடத்து.

88/09. Illaidhaga mukllmaram kolga; kallaiyunar
Kaikollum kaazhththa idaththu.

88/09. A plant full of thorns must be pulled out in its young stage.
If it is fully grown, it will tear the hands of one who tries to cut it out.
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Jignesh: It is easy to pull out a thorn-full-tree
in its budding stage, not so easy thereafter.

Mangal: After it is fully grown
Thorns will tear his skin,
And cutting will be difficult
If one makes an attempt.

One must solve any problem,
Earnestly at the right time,
Before the same becomes
Seriously a giant problem.

Even a small wound,
Immediately not attended,
Will, later on, go critical,
When it becomes incurable.
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88/10. உயிர்ப்ப உளரல்லர் மன்ற செயிர்ப்பவர்
செம்மல் சிதைக்கலா தார்.

88/10. Uyirppa ullarallar manrra seirppavar
Semmal sidhaikkalaa dhaar.

88/10. The atrocities of the enemies, if one has not controlled,
he cannot live peacefully.
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Jignesh: If the enemies do atrocities,
it must be controlled at some stage,
otherwise there will be no peace of mind.

Mangal: If there must be peace
One must tackle enemies,
Otherwise, they will create
Many problems outright.

One must keep all enemies,
Under control to live in peace,
Otherwise, their atrocities,
Day by day, will increase.

One must watch enemies' plans,
And prepare for retaliatory actions
To counter their war strategies,
Well in time, before their attacks.
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