Thirukkural 198 in English

Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.

Tamil original

அரும்பயன் ஆயும் அறிவினார் சொல்லார்
பெரும்பயன் இல்லாத சொல்.

Transliteration

Arumpayan Aayum Arivinaar Sollaar
Perumpayan Illaadha Sol

English Translation

“The wise who weigh the worth refrain From words that have no grain and brain”

Plain-English meaning

The wise who seek after rare pleasures will not speak words that have not much weight in them

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Tamil pronunciation

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English Translation

The wise who weigh the worth refrain From words that have no grain and brain

G.U. Pope Translation

The wise who weigh the worth of every utterance,Speak none but words of deep significance

Plain-English Meaning

The wise who seek after rare pleasures will not speak words that have not much weight in them

அரிய பயன்களை ஆராயும் அறிவுடையோர், பெரும்பயன் இல்லாத சொற்களைச் சொல்வார்.

Chapter 20

பயனில சொல்லாமை

With silly words who insults all Is held in contempt as banal

Vain talk before many is worse Than doing to friends deeds adverse

The babbler's hasty lips proclaim That \"good-for-nothing\" is his name

Vain words before an assembly Will make all gains and goodness flee

Glory and grace will go away When savants silly nonsense say

Call him a human chaff who prides Himself in weightless idle words

Let not men of worth vainly quack Even if they would roughly speak

The wise who weigh the worth refrain From words that have no grain and brain

The wise of spotless self-vision Slip not to silly words-mention

To purpose speak the fruitful word And never indulge in useless load