Chapters 91 to 100

The Tirukkural: Getting close to the original In Spirit, Content and Style The 'choicest' of all translations in English First edition in 2006; revised edition in 2024 This Tirukkural translation in English is drawn from translations by more than 25 different authors - mostly published in print, some unpublished and some in press. Twenty of these were either complete or partial translations and the remaining ten were isolated translations that appeared in articles, monographs and books authored by different scholars on the Tirukkural and Tiruvalluvar. The choicest translation of every couplet that is close to the original - in spirit, content and style - has been chosen for presentation. Preference has been given for brevity, simplicity and clarity. Emphasize was also laid on translations that manage to reflect, as much as possible, every word found in the original.  Sometimes translations of two authors were combined to produce the best reflection of the original. The translator or translators of every couplet have been acknowledged with their initials (eg. PS, SS, SB, VS, RM etc.) in a separate column. The initials have been expanded with the names of these translators at the end of every page, and the full citation of the source has been given at the end of all translations. When no translation was found particularly satisfactory, I chose to render them myself. These have been marked by initial NV. An astrix (*) at the end of a translation indicate that the rendering has been improved upon, either by adding/replacing words or deleting words found to be unnecessary. To know more on the process of this comparison and criteria of selection, click here: ComparingTirukkural translations to unfold the best.

Division II. Wealth (Continuation) 

091	Uxoriousness	Translators	Notes
0901	Wives unduly exalted impede greatness. Ambitious men avoid that very thing. *	PS, SS
0902	The affluence of a careless uxorious man Will buy him only shameful shame. *	SS, PS
0903	Habitual submission to one’s wife Will always bring disrepute among the good.	NV
0904	The deeds of one who dreads his wife Merits little in this life or the next. *	SS, GU
0905	A man who fears his wife will always fear To do good things to good people. *	GV
0906	Those who fear their wives' slender shoulders May live like gods but are not men.	PS
0907	Modest womanhood is greater than the manhood Which thrives on obeisance to wife. *	DZ
0908	Men governed by their fair ladies cannot address The needs of friends nor do any good.	VS, NV	Yes
0909	Virtuous deeds, exalted wealth and other deeds Are not for the henpecked. *	PS
0910	The thoughtful and firm-willed never indulge In the folly of doting on their wives. *	SS, PS

Notes:

908. A short and crisp translations of this couplet [but not close to original]: “A doting husband will have no time for friends or virtuous deeds” - PS

092	Public women	Translators	Notes
0911	Fraught with disgrace are the sweet words Of jeweled women who desire wealth, not love. *	PS
0912	See through and avoid the immoral women Who talk of morals with a purpose.	PS
0913	A harlot’s false embrace for money is like one hired To clasp an alien corpse in a dark room. *	PS, GV	Yes
0914	The wise who treasure grace desire not the false charms Of those who treasure wealth. *	DL, SS
0915	Sensible men of lofty wisdom will find no joy In the cheap delight of public women. *	PS, GU
0916	Those who would spread their own good will not touch Others who spread their charms for money. *	PS
0917	The empty-hearted alone will embrace The hearts that go not with their bodies.	PS
0918	Only those who can’t see through a false woman’s embrace Consider her to be an angel. *	NV, PS
0919	The soft arms of those who sell their charm Are a hell that plunge the base. *	PS, DL
0920	Fortune leaves those whose associates are Treacherous women, wine and dice. *	PS

Notes:
913. There existed, according to French writer Abbe J.A. Dubois of the 18^th century A.D. [Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, page 17 and Edgar Thurston, Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Volume V, page 107], a practice amongst the Nambudris of Kerala to hire someone to embrace the dead corpse of girls who die as virgins [Padmanabhan, 2003]. Valluvar could be referring to this custom. Though two of the five traditional commentators of Tirukkural, namely Manakkudavar and Pariperumal, interpret this way [… பிணத்தை கூலிக்கு தழுவியது போலும்…..], they do not refer to this as a practice amongst Nambudris.

093	Avoiding alcohol	Translators	Notes
0921	Those who always love wine Will neither inspire fear in others nor retain their fame. *	DL
0922	Drink no wine, or let them drink Who do not care what wise men think.	PS
0923	When a drunkard's glee hurts his own mother, Why speak of the wise?	PS
0924	The good lady Shame turns her back to men Addicted to the grave vice drunkenness. *	PS, DZ
0925	It is sheer ignorance to spend one’s substance And obtain in return only insensibility. *	VS
0926	Slumbers are no different from the dead. Nor alcoholics from consumers of poison.	NV
0927	Those who often get drunk in private Will soon become a laughing stock in public.	KV
0928	Drop saying, "I never drank": Hidden secrets will be out when drunk. *	PS
0929	To reason with one drowned in drink is like Searching with a candle for a man drowned in water. *	PS	Yes
0930	When a drunkard sober sees another drunk, Why does he not note his own damage?	PS

Notes:
930. Compare with 99 and 318 for the typical style of Valluvar: “How can anyone speak harsh words, having seen what kind words do?” - NV and “Why does one hurt others knowing what it is to be hurt?” - PS

094	Gambling	Translators	Notes
0931	Don’t gamble even if you win for it draws you in Like fishes drawn to shining baits.	PS, NV	Yes
0932	Can gamblers gain anything good in life Who gain one and lose a hundred? *	PS
0933	To be lost all the time in the rolling dice Is to lose your hoarded wealth to others.	PS
0934	There is nothing like gambling to bring Poverty, sorrow and disgrace.	PS
0935	They lose all who will not give up the dice, The board and the throw.	PS
0936	Those blindfolded by the dark ogress called dice Will starve and suffer in distress. *	NV, DZ
0937	Time wasted in a gambling house Will end one’s ancestral wealth and worth. *	PS
0938	Dicing loses wealth, imposes lies, Kills grace and causes sorrow.	PS
0939	Gambling will make one lose these five: Riches, food, fame, learning and clothes.	NV
0940	Like the attachment to life despite sufferings Is the love for gambling despite loss. *	KK	Yes

Notes:
931. Padmanabhan [2003] refers to the practice amongst fishermen of Kanyakumari [Muttom area] to use glittering golden lace as bait for fishing. However, none of the 20 translations from different sources compared in this exercise has interpreted this way. However Kālingar, one of the five traditional commentators of Kural interpret the phrase “தூண்டில் பொன்” as “bait of gold”. On the contrary, the phrase has been invariably taken to mean “metal hook” with the word “பொன்” once actually being used as a reference to any “metal”. The type of metal implied has to be inferred from the context [Sethu Pillai, 1974].

940. PS would say: "Life goes on in spite of loss and stakes in spite of loss!"

095	Medicine	Translators	Notes
0941	Three things beginning with wind, say the experts, In excess or lacking cause disease.	PS	Yes
0942	The body needs no drugs if what is eaten Is digested before the next meal.	NV
0943	Once digested, eat with moderation. That prolongs the life of one embodied. *	DL
0944	Assured of digestion and real hunger, Eat with care what is agreeable. *	PS
0945	No harm to life if what is eaten Does not include disagreeable food.	NV
0946	As pleasure dwells with a moderate eater, So is disease with a voracious glutton. *	DL
0947	Unlimited eating beyond one’s measure Leads to unlimited number of ills.	NV
0948	Diagnose the illness, trace its cause, Seek the proper remedy and apply it with skill.	SS
0949	A doctor should have the measure of the patient, Disease and its stage, and treat.	NV	Yes
0950	Any treatment involves these four orders: The patient, doctor, medicine and the nurse.	NV, SB

Notes:

941. The other two are considered to be bile and phlegm.

949. These three could be: condition of the patient [stable, unstable], nature of the disease [infectious, non-infectious or chronic/acute] and stage of illness [early/terminal].

096	Lineage	Translators	Notes
0951	None except the well-born Have that natural sense of integrity and shame. *	PS
0952	Men of birth will never deviate from these three: Good manners, truthfulness and modesty. *	DL
0953	A smiling face, a generous heart, sweet words and no scorn; These four are said to mark the well-born. *	PS
0954	Men of birth will not indulge in mean acts Even if offered millions manifold.	PS, NV
0955	An ancient family may default in charity, But never in their conduct. *	PS
0956	Those wedded to their spotless heritage Will do nothing deceitful and ignoble. *	PS
0957	Defects in people of noble descent Appear prominently as spots on the moon.	JN	Yes
0958	Want of affection from one of good family Calls in question his descent from it. *	DL
0959	Nature of sprout indicates the quality of soil; So does the quality of speech one’s descent.	NV
0960	There is no good without a sense of shame, Nor high birth without politeness.	PS

Notes:
957. Compare with 1117. “Are there spots on my love’s face like the spots on the shining moon?” – NV, SB
959. Compare with 452. Nature of soil governs the quality of water; one’s wisdom by the nature of company. (NV)

097	Honour	Translators	Notes
0961	Reject base actions even if such rejection Makes life impossible.	PS
0962	Those who desire fame with honour Will not sacrifice honour for fame.	PS	Yes
0963	In prosperity, bend low. In adversity, stand straight.	PS
0964	Men fallen from high stature Are like hair fallen from the head. *	PS
0965	Even a hill-like eminence can be brought low By deeds as small as a speck. *	PS	Yes
0966	Why go behind those who scorn when it yields Neither fame nor place in heaven? *	KS
0967	Better said doomed that state of life Spent clinging on to those who scorn.	NV
0968	Is body as precious as ambrosia that men desire to save it Even at the cost of honour?	MS, VS	Yes
0969	The yak, sheared of its hair, does not survive. The noble, stripped of their honour, prefer death.	NV	Yes
0970	The world will admire and worship the glory of men Who prefer death to dishonour. *	CR

Notes:
962. Compare with 1017. “Men of honour give up life for honour’s sake, but never abandon honour to save life” * - CR
965. 965. That’s why in Kural 433, the author says: “To those ashamed of wrong doings, even millet of fault is as big as a palm-tree” * - VR, PS
968. A difficult verse to translate. The word “ஊன்” has been taken by different translators as “life”, “skin”, “body” and the word “மருந்தோ” to mean “nectar” or “medicine”. VS provides an interesting but daring translation: “Is the skin forsooth immortality that men desire to save it at the cost of honour?” Another interesting translation, but not close to original: “Does life saved at the cost of honour, put off death for ever?” - PS
969. The exact meaning of the word “கவரிமா” has not been established for this context. Since Valluvar is referring to the advantage of a wooly coat for surviving cold climates in high altitudes and polar regions, the word has been translated as “yak” here, as many translators do. 

098	Pride/Greatness	Translators	Notes
0971	Honour is to crave for excellence. Dishonor is to say: “I shall live without it”.	NV
0972	By birth all men are equal. Differences in their action Render their worth unequal.	SM
0973	Neither the high-born who act low are high, Nor the low-born who act high, low. *	PS
0974	Even greatness, like a woman’s chastity, Belongs only to him who guards himself.	DL
0975	If the great achieve anything, It will be deeds rare in achievement. *	PS
0976	It is not in the nature of the small to have That outlook of emulating the great. *	DZ
0977	If any distinction falls on the little minded, Their insolence will know no bounds. *	VS
0978	The great are always humble, And the small lost in self-admiration.	PS
0979	The great are never puffed up, While the small are inordinately proud. *	PS
0980	The great hide others' faults. Only the small talk of nothing else.	PS

099	Goodness	Translators	Notes
0981	All virtues are said to be natural to those Who acquire character as a duty.	PS
0982	No other goodness than good character Is deemed good by the noble.	NV
0983	The pillars of excellence are five: Love, modesty, altruism, compassion, truthfulness.	PS
0984	The characteristic of penance is non-killing, And that of goodness not speaking others’ faults.	NV	Yes
0985	Humility is the strength of the strong and the weapon The wise use to conquer their foes.	SS
0986	The touchstone of goodness is to own One's defeat even to inferiors.	PS
0987	What good is that goodness if it does not return good Even to those who cause evil? *	PS	Yes
0988	Poverty is no disgrace to one Who has the strength called character.	PS, VS
0989	The depth of goodness is said to be the never changing attitude In spite of ever changing fortunes.	NV	Yes
0990	The earth will cease to bear its burden If perfect men fall short of perfection.	SM, GV

Notes:
984. Compare with 261: “The characteristic of penance lies in enduring hardships and harming no life” - NV
987. Compare with 314. Punish an evil-doer by shaming him with a good deed.* - PS
989: A difficult couplet to translate. Most translations follow Parimelazhagar’s view of taking ‘ஆழி’ as sea shore and ‘ஊழி பெயரினும்’ as ‘even if a whelming sea breaks its bounds”. PS, therefore, translates this verse as “Seas may whelm, but men of character will stand like the shore”.  However, the word ‘ஊழி’ in general refers to ‘fate’ or ‘fortune’ and the word ‘ஆழி’ to either ‘sea’ or ‘depth’. I have used these direct meanings to translate this couplet. Kalingar takes this interpretation. From Parimelazhagar’s standpoint, Sundaram’s translation may be improved like this: “Fortunes like seas may whelm, but men of character will remain unperturbed like the shore”.

100	Courtesy	Translators	Notes
0991	The demeanor called courtesy, they say, Comes easily to those easily accessible to all.	NV, SS
0992	Kindness and exalted birth: these two Constitute the demeanor called courtesy.	NV
0993	What binds humanity together is not physical proximity, But that binding of courteousness.	NV
0994	The world applauds the conduct of those Who help with impartiality and generosity. *	DL, NV
0995	Mockery hurts even in jest, and hence the considerate Are courteous even to their foes. *	PS	Yes
0996	The world goes on because of civilized men. Without them it would collapse into dust. *	SS
0997	Men without character, despite their sharp minds, Are no better than blocks of wood.	NV, DZ
0998	It is disgraceful to be discourteous, Even towards the unfriendly who treat you unjustly.	SS
0999	To those who cannot laugh, This big world is all darkness even during the day.	CR
1000	The great wealth kept by the uncultured Is clean milk gone sour in a can unclean.	NV

Notes:
995. Compare with 871. One should never wish for the accursed thing called enmity, even in jest. SS

References:

Padmanabhan, S. 2003. Thiruvalluvar. Kanyakumari Historical and Cultural Research Centre, Nagercoil. Pp 42 

Sethu Pillai, R.P. 1974. Words and their Significance: Tamil – Literary and Colloquial. University of Madras. Pp 37

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Key to the initials of different translators:

CR - C. Rajagopalachari	KS - Kasthuri Sreenivasan	SI - K.R. Srinivasa Iyengar
DL -W.H. Drew and  J. Lazarus	KV - K. Krishnaswamy & Vijaya Ramkumar	SM -S. Maharajan
DZ - S.M. Diaz	MS - M.S. Poornalingam Pillai	SS - Satguru  Subramuniyaswami
EL - F.W. Ellis	NC - Norman Cutler	TD - S. Thandapani Desikar
GU - G.U. Pope	NV - N.V.K. Ashraf	TK - T.K. Chidambaranatha Mudaliar
GV - G. Vanmikanathan	PS - P.S. Sundaram	VC - V.C. Kulandai Swamy
JN - J. Narayanaswamy	SB - Shuddhananda Bharatiar	VR  - V. Ramasamy
KK - K. Kannan	SD - S.D. Rajendran	VS - V.V.S. Aiyar
KN - K.N. Subramanyam	SG - G. Siromoney, S. Govindaraju & M. Chandrasekaran,

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