Thirukkural 1118 in English

Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.

Tamil original

மாதர் முகம்போல் ஒளிவிட வல்லையேல்
காதலை வாழி மத஧.

Transliteration

Maadhar Mukampol Olivita Vallaiyel
Kaadhalai Vaazhi Madhi

English Translation

“Like my lady's face if you shine All my love to you; hail O moon!”

Plain-English meaning

If you can indeed shine like the face of women, flourish, O moon, for then would you be worth loving ?

Listen

Tamil pronunciation

Speed

English Translation

Like my lady's face if you shine All my love to you; hail O moon!

G.U. Pope Translation

Farewell, O moon! If that thine orb could shineBright as her face, thou shouldst be love of mine

Plain-English Meaning

If you can indeed shine like the face of women, flourish, O moon, for then would you be worth loving ?

நிலவே! நீ வாழ்க! என் மனைவியின் முகம்போல் நான் மகிழும்படி ஒளிவீசுவாய் என்றால் நீயும் என் காதலைப் பெறுவாய்.

Chapter 112

நலம் புனைந்து உரைத்தல்

Soft blessed anicha flower, hail On whom I dote is softer still

You can't liken flowers by many eyed, To her bright eyes, O mind dismayed

The bamboo-shouldered has pearl-like smiles Fragrant breath and lance-like eyes

Lily droops down to ground and says I can't equal the jewelled-one's eyes

Anicha flower with stem she wears To her breaking waist sad-drum-blares!

Stars are confused to know which is The moon and which is woman's face

Are there spots on the lady's face Just as in moon that changes phase?

Like my lady's face if you shine All my love to you; hail O moon!

Like the face of my flower-eyed one If you look, then shine alone O moon!

The soft flower and the swan's down are Like nettles to the feet of the fair