Kurral (Tirukkural in Latin)

Tirukkural in Latin

இலத்தின மொழியில் திருக்குறள்

Translated by: Beschi, C.J. (1730)
Published in
The Sacred Kural of Tiruvalluva Nayanar
By G.U. Pope in 1886, Henry Frowde, London

       Latin was the first European language into which the Kural was translated. Father C.J. Beschi of the Society of Jesus (1700-1742) translated the first two books of the Kural (Virtue and Wealth) and Reverend G.U. Pope edited this only manuscript found in the India Office Library, London and published it as ‘notes’ at the end of his famous English translation “The Sacred Kurral” in 1886. Thanks to Pope for doing so, for otherwise the manuscript would have been lost in the oblivion. There are at least two more translations of the Kural into Latin (either in full or in parts). Dr. Karl Graul in 1856 published the Kural in German and selected couplets in Latin. In 1865, an unknown author translated the Kural into Latin (Tiruvalluvar Kural Versione Lationa).

       Latin is a classical language of the ancient Rome and is no longer a spoken language. However, amongst linguists it enjoys the same status as Sanskrit in India. Italian, Spanish and Portuguese have evolved from Latin, but I am aware of only a translation in Italian language. The Kural must have been translated into Spanish and Portuguese as well.

       The translation presented here is that of Father Beschi Joseph, taken from G.U. Pope’s book “The Sacred Kurral of Tiruvalluva Nayanar”. My son N.V. Junaid took the responsibility of typesetting the entire translation. Any language that employs either Roman or Devnagiri script is ideed easy to handle. 

       No translation can reflect the true nature of the Kural. Added to this inherent difficulty is the attempt of some scholars to either read their own ideas into the Kural or deliberately misinterpret the message to make it conform to their preconceived notions. Father Beshi, whose translation has been presented here, contains many such mistranslations. V. Ramasamy writes: "Beschi is purposely distorting the message of the original when he renders பிறவாழி as ‘the sea of miserable life’ and the phrase பிறவிப்பெருங்கடல் as ‘sea of this birth’ which has been translated by others as ‘the sea of many births’. Beschi means thus ‘those who swim the vast sea of miseries’. The concept of rebirth or many births for the same soul is contrary to Christian principle and belief". 

~ Contents ~

Division 1: Virtue

From chapters 001 to 010	1. (No title listed)	2. (No title listed)	3. (No title listed)
	4. (No title listed)	5. (No title listed)	6. (No title listed)
	7. (No title listed)	8. (No title listed)	9. Hospitalitas
	10. Affabilitas
From chapters 011 to 020	11. Grati animi virtus	12. Equitus	13. Sensuum fraenatio
	14. Bene moratum esse	15. Alienam uxorem	16. Patientia
	17. Invidiâ non Affici	18. Non inhiare alienis bonis	19. Non detrahere
	20. Otiosa verba non loqui
From chapters 021 to 030	21. Peccati metus	22. (No title listed)	23. Eleemosinae largitio
	24. Laudabiliter vivere	25. Virtutes religiosorum	26. Abstinentia carnibus
	27. Poenitentia	28. Hipocrisis	29. Nullum defraudare
	30. Oris integritas
From chapters 031 to 038	31. Non irasci	32. Nemini malefacere	33. Non occidere
	34. Mundanarum rerum ..	35. Omnibus mundanis .....	36. Verum assequi conari
	37. A sensibilibus ipsa ....	38. Divinorum decretorum ..

Division 2: Wealth

From chapters 039 to 050	39. Regis magnitado	40. Scientia sui muneris regi.	41. Ignorantia ......
	42. Doctos inter homines	43. Prudentia	44. Vilia abigere
	45. Magnos sibi viros ...	46. Ab eorum infimae ...	47. Non nisi post maturam ..
	48. Saam cum hostis ....	49. Facinori aggrediendo ....	50. In proelio locum sibi ...
From chapters 051 to 060	51. In ministrorum .....	52. Quomodo debeat rex eos	53. Consanguineas complecti
	54. Non esse in regimine	55. Recti sceptri conditio	56. Sceptri tortuositas
	57. Subditos non terrificare	58. Clementia	59. Exploratoris officinum
	60. Animositas
From chapters 061 to 070	61. Solertia	62. Assidué laborare	63. In adversis non turbari
	64. De ministro regis	65. Verborum officacia	66. Puritas actionum
	67. Firmitas in agenda	68. Modus agendi	69. Legati officium
	70. Quomodo legatus ...
From chapters 071 to 080	71. Regis intentum percipere	72. Auditorium discernere	73. Coetum non timere
	74. Ditio, seu regnum	75. Arces	76. Modus aerarium ....
	77. Quae possidere debet	78. Spiritus martialis	79. Amicitia
	80. Quocum amicitiam ineas
From chapters 081 to 090	81. Ab antiquo tempore ..	82. Dammosa amicitia	83. Amicitia simulata
	84. Insipientia	85. Inscitia	86. Animi aversio vel ....
	87. Odium prudens	88. Juxta hostium diversitatem ....	89. Inimicitia occulta
	90. Magnos viros ......
From chapters 091 to 100	91. Non sinere se ab uxore ..	92. Mulier quae in suo .....	93. Abstinere ab inebriantibus
	94. Ludus	95. Medicina	96. Prosapiae nobilitas
	97. Honoris tenacitas	98. (Vera) magnitudo	99. Omnes probitatis conditiones
	100. Bona indoles
From chapters 101 to 108	101. Avaritia	102. Erubescentia	103. Modus familiam exaltandi
	104. Agricultura	105. Paupertas	106. Mendicatio
	107. Mendicatio vitanda	108. Vilium hominum conditio

Division 3: Love

Father Beschi did not translate the third division "Love".