Thirukkural 132 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
பரிந்தோம்பிக் காக்க ஒழுக்கம் தெரிந்தோம்பித்
தேரினும் அஃதே துணை.
Transliteration
Parindhompik Kaakka Ozhukkam Therindhompith
Therinum Aqdhe Thunai
Modern English
“Hold on to good conduct as carefully as you can, because out of every virtue a person might pursue, it's the one that supports you the most reliably through life.”
Modern Interpretation
Hold on to good conduct as carefully as you can, because out of every virtue a person might pursue, it's the one that supports you the most reliably through life. It underlies everything else that's admirable. For example, someone who consistently keeps their word to friends, even about small things, ends up trusted with the big things too.
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Modern Plain English
Hold on to good conduct as carefully as you can, because out of every virtue a person might pursue, it's the one that supports you the most reliably through life.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Virtues of conduct all excel; The soul aid should be guarded well
G.U. Pope Translation
Searching, duly watching, learning, 'decorum' still we find;Man's only aid; toiling, guard thou this with watchful mind
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
Let propriety of conduct be laboriously preserved and guarded; though one know and practise and excel in many virtues, that will be an eminent aid
Tamil commentary
எதனாலும், அழிந்து போகாமல் ஒழுக்கத்தை விரும்பிக் காத்துக்கொள்க; அறங்கள் பலவற்றையும் ஆய்ந்து, இம்மை மறுமைக்குத் துணையாவது எது எனத் தேர்வு செய்தால் ஒழுக்கமே துணையாகும்.
Chapter 14
More from The Possession of Decorum
ஒழுக்கம் உடைமை
Decorum does one dignity More than life guard its purity
Kural 132Virtues of conduct all excel; The soul aid should be guarded well
Kural 133Good conduct shows good family Low manners mark anomaly
Kural 134Readers recall forgotten lore, But conduct lost returns no more
Kural 135The envious prosper but ill The ill-behaved sinks lower still
Kural 136The firm from virtue falter not They know the ills of evil thought
Kural 137Conduct good ennobles man, Bad conduct entails disgrace mean
Kural 138Good conduct sows seeds of blessings Bad conduct endless evil brings
Kural 139Foul words will never fall from lips Of righteous men even by slips
Kural 140Though read much they are ignorant Whose life is not world-accordant