Thirukkural 219 in English

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

Tamil original

நயனுடையான் நல்கூர்ந்தா னாதல் செயும்நீர
செய்யாது அமைகலா வாறு.

Transliteration

Nayanutaiyaan Nalkoorndhaa Naadhal Seyumneera
Seyyaadhu Amaikalaa Vaaru

English Translation

“The good man's poverty and grief Is want of means to give relief”

Plain-English meaning

The poverty of a benevolent man, is nothing but his inability to exercise the same

Listen

Tamil pronunciation

Speed

English Translation

The good man's poverty and grief Is want of means to give relief

G.U. Pope Translation

The kindly-hearted man is poor in this alone,When power of doing deeds of goodness he finds none

Plain-English Meaning

The poverty of a benevolent man, is nothing but his inability to exercise the same

உழைக்கும் சக்தி அற்றவர்க்கு உதவும் உள்ளம் உடையவன் வறியவன் ஆவது, செய்யக்கூடிய உதவிகளைப் பிறர்க்குச் செய்யமுடியாது வருந்தும் போதுதான்.

Chapter 22

ஒப்புரவறிதல்

Duty demands nothing in turn; How can the world recompense rain?

All the wealth that toils give Is meant to serve those who deserve

In heav'n and earth 'tis hard to find A greater good than being kind

He lives who knows befitting act Others are deemed as dead in fact

The wealth that wise and kind do make Is like water that fills a lake

Who plenty gets and plenty gives Is like town-tree teeming with fruits

The wealth of a wide-hearted soul Is a herbal tree that healeth all

Though seers may fall on evil days Their sense of duty never strays

The good man's poverty and grief Is want of means to give relief

By good if ruin comes across Sell yourself to save that loss