Thirukkural 187 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
பகச்சொல்லிக் கேளிர்ப் பிரிப்பர் நகச்சொல்லி
நட்பாடல் தேற்றா தவர்.
Transliteration
Pakachchollik Kelirp Pirippar Nakachcholli
Natpaatal Thetraa Thavar
Modern English
“People who never learned how to nurture a friendship with warmth and honest conversation often end up damaging even close relationships through gossip, without really meaning to.”
Modern Interpretation
People who never learned how to nurture a friendship with warmth and honest conversation often end up damaging even close relationships through gossip, without really meaning to. It's often carelessness rather than malice. For example, someone who vents about a friend's flaws to other mutual friends, instead of talking to the friend directly, can end up losing that friendship entirely.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
People who never learned how to nurture a friendship with warmth and honest conversation often end up damaging even close relationships through gossip, without really meaning to.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
By pleasing words who make not friends Sever their hearts by hostile trends
G.U. Pope Translation
With friendly art who know not pleasant words to say,Speak words that sever hearts, and drive choice friends away
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
Those who know not to live in friendship with amusing conversation will by back-biting estrange even their relatives
Tamil commentary
கூடி மகிழுமாறு இனியன பேசி நட்பை வளர்க்கத் தெரியாதவர், புறம்பேசி நண்பர்களையும் பிரித்து விடுவர்.
Chapter 19
More from Not Backbiting
புறங்கூறாமை
Though a man from virtue strays, To keep from slander brings him praise
Kural 182Who bite behind, and before smile Are worse than open traitors vile
Kural 183Virtue thinks it better to die, Than live to backbite and to lie
Kural 184Though harsh you speak in one's presence Abuse is worse in his absence
Kural 185Who turns to slander makes it plain His praise of virtue is in vain
Kural 186His failings will be found and shown, Who makes another's failings known
Kural 187By pleasing words who make not friends Sever their hearts by hostile trends
Kural 188What will they not to strangers do Who bring their friends' defects to view?
Kural 189The world in mercy bears his load Who rants behind words untoward
Kural 190No harm would fall to any man If each his own defect could scan