Thirukkural 194 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
நயன்சாரா நன்மையின் நீக்கும் பயன்சாராப்
பண்பில்சொல் பல்லா ரகத்து.
Transliteration
Nayansaaraa Nanmaiyin Neekkum Payansaaraap
Panpilsol Pallaa Rakaththu
Modern English
“Filling conversations with pointless, tactless remarks in front of a group chips away at how decent and trustworthy people think you are, even if you don't mean any harm by it.”
Modern Interpretation
Filling conversations with pointless, tactless remarks in front of a group chips away at how decent and trustworthy people think you are, even if you don't mean any harm by it. Words add up over time. For example, constantly making careless jokes at someone else's expense in a group chat slowly damages your reputation, even if each individual comment seems minor.
Listen
Tamil pronunciation
Compare translations
Modern Plain English
Filling conversations with pointless, tactless remarks in front of a group chips away at how decent and trustworthy people think you are, even if you don't mean any harm by it.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Vain words before an assembly Will make all gains and goodness flee
G.U. Pope Translation
Unmeaning, worthless words, said to the multitude,To none delight afford, and sever men from good
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
The words devoid of profit or pleasure which a man speaks will, being inconsistent with virtue,
Tamil commentary
பயனற்ற, பண்பும் இல்லாத சொற்களை ஒருவன் பலரிடமும் சொன்னால் அச் சொற்களே அவனை நீதியுடன் சேராமல் நற்குணங்களிலிருந்து நீக்கிவிடும்.
Chapter 20
More from Against Vain Speaking
பயனில சொல்லாமை
With silly words who insults all Is held in contempt as banal
Kural 192Vain talk before many is worse Than doing to friends deeds adverse
Kural 193The babbler's hasty lips proclaim That \"good-for-nothing\" is his name
Kural 194Vain words before an assembly Will make all gains and goodness flee
Kural 195Glory and grace will go away When savants silly nonsense say
Kural 196Call him a human chaff who prides Himself in weightless idle words
Kural 197Let not men of worth vainly quack Even if they would roughly speak
Kural 198The wise who weigh the worth refrain From words that have no grain and brain
Kural 199The wise of spotless self-vision Slip not to silly words-mention
Kural 200To purpose speak the fruitful word And never indulge in useless load