Thirukkural 168 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
அழுக்காறு எனஒரு பாவி திருச்செற்றுத்
தீயுழி உய்த்து விடும்.
Transliteration
Azhukkaaru Enaoru Paavi Thiruchchetruth
Theeyuzhi Uyththu Vitum
Modern English
“Envy has a way of quietly destroying whatever good someone has built and steering them toward genuinely harmful choices.”
Modern Interpretation
Envy has a way of quietly destroying whatever good someone has built and steering them toward genuinely harmful choices. It rarely stays contained to just a feeling. For example, someone who lets jealousy fester over a rival's success might end up sabotaging their own work just to see the rival fail.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Envy has a way of quietly destroying whatever good someone has built and steering them toward genuinely harmful choices.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Caitiff envy despoils wealth And drags one into evil path
G.U. Pope Translation
Envy, embodied ill, incomparable bane,Good fortune slays, and soul consigns to fiery pain
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
Envy will destroy (a man's) wealth (in his world) and drive him into the pit of fire (in the world to come.)
Tamil commentary
பொறாமை எனப்படும் ஒப்பில்லாத பாவி எவனிடம் இருக்கிறதோ, அவனது செல்வத்தை அழிப்பதோடு, அவனை நரகத்திலும் அது சேர்க்கும்
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