Thirukkural 166 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
கொடுப்பது அழுக்கறுப்பான் சுற்றம் உடுப்பதூஉம்
உண்பதூஉம் இன்றிக் கெடும்.
Transliteration
Kotuppadhu Azhukkaruppaan Sutram Utuppadhooum
Unpadhooum Indrik Ketum
Modern English
“Someone who resents seeing others receive help or gifts often ends up struggling themselves, because that bitterness eats away at the generosity and goodwill that would otherwise come back to them.”
Modern Interpretation
Someone who resents seeing others receive help or gifts often ends up struggling themselves, because that bitterness eats away at the generosity and goodwill that would otherwise come back to them. For example, someone who's constantly annoyed when their friends get support from family tends to push away the very people who'd help them too.
Listen
Tamil pronunciation
Compare translations
Modern Plain English
Someone who resents seeing others receive help or gifts often ends up struggling themselves, because that bitterness eats away at the generosity and goodwill that would otherwise come back to them.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Who envies gifts shall suffer ruin Without food and clothes with his kin
G.U. Pope Translation
Who scans good gifts to others given with envious eye,His kin, with none to clothe or feed them, surely die
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
He who is envious at a gift (made to another) will with his relations utterly perish destitute of food and rainment
Tamil commentary
பிறர்க்குக் கொடுப்பதைக் கண்டு பொறாமைப் படுகிறவனின் குடும்பம், உடுக்கவும், உண்ணவும் இல்லாமல் அலையும்.
Chapter 17
More from Not Envying
அழுக்காறாமை
Deem your heart as virtuous When your nature is not jealous
Kural 162No excellence excels the one That by nature envies none
Kural 163Who envies others' good fortune Can't prosper in virtue of his own
Kural 164The wise through envy don't others wrong Knowing that woes from evils throng
Kural 165Man shall be wrecked by envy's whim Even if enemies spare him
Kural 166Who envies gifts shall suffer ruin Without food and clothes with his kin
Kural 167Fortune deserts the envious Leaving misfortune omnious
Kural 168Caitiff envy despoils wealth And drags one into evil path
Kural 169Why is envy rich, goodmen poor People with surprise think over
Kural 170The envious prosper never The envyless prosper ever