Thirukkural 214 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
ஒத்த தறவோன் உயிர்வாழ்வான் மற்றையான்
செத்தாருள் வைக்கப் படும்.
Transliteration
Oththa Tharavon Uyirvaazhvaan Matraiyaan
Seththaarul Vaikkap Patum
Modern English
“Someone who lives by genuinely helping others is the only one really living; everyone else is just going through the motions.”
Modern Interpretation
Someone who lives by genuinely helping others is the only one really living; everyone else is just going through the motions. A life spent only on yourself barely counts as lived. For example, a neighbor who's always the first to help during a crisis leaves behind something a purely self-focused life never could.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Someone who lives by genuinely helping others is the only one really living; everyone else is just going through the motions.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
He lives who knows befitting act Others are deemed as dead in fact
G.U. Pope Translation
Who knows what's human life's befitting grace,He lives; the rest 'mongst dead men have their place
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
He truly lives who knows (and discharges) the proper duties (of benevolence) He who knows them not will be reckoned among the dead
Tamil commentary
உழைக்கும் சக்தி அற்றவர்க்கு உதவுபவனே உயிரோடு வாழ்பவன். உதவாதவன் இருந்தாலும் இறந்தவனாகவே எண்ணப்படுவான்.
Chapter 22
More from Duty to Society
ஒப்புரவறிதல்
Duty demands nothing in turn; How can the world recompense rain?
Kural 212All the wealth that toils give Is meant to serve those who deserve
Kural 213In heav'n and earth 'tis hard to find A greater good than being kind
Kural 214He lives who knows befitting act Others are deemed as dead in fact
Kural 215The wealth that wise and kind do make Is like water that fills a lake
Kural 216Who plenty gets and plenty gives Is like town-tree teeming with fruits
Kural 217The wealth of a wide-hearted soul Is a herbal tree that healeth all
Kural 218Though seers may fall on evil days Their sense of duty never strays
Kural 219The good man's poverty and grief Is want of means to give relief
Kural 220By good if ruin comes across Sell yourself to save that loss