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
Modern English
“People who think carefully before speaking rarely waste words on things that don't carry real meaning or value.”
Modern Interpretation
People who think carefully before speaking rarely waste words on things that don't carry real meaning or value. Their silence, when they choose it, is often as deliberate as their speech. For example, a thoughtful mentor tends to say less than others in a meeting, but what they do say tends to actually matter.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
People who think carefully before speaking rarely waste words on things that don't carry real meaning or value.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
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
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
The wise who seek after rare pleasures will not speak words that have not much weight in them
Tamil commentary
அரிய பயன்களை ஆராயும் அறிவுடையோர், பெரும்பயன் இல்லாத சொற்களைச் சொல்வார்.
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