Thirukkural 225 in English

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

Tamil original

ஆற்றுவார் ஆற்றல் பசிஆற்றல் அப்பசியை
மாற்றுவார் ஆற்றலின் பின்.

Transliteration

Aatruvaar Aatral Pasiaatral Appasiyai
Maatruvaar Aatralin Pin

English Translation

“Higher's power which hunger cures Than that of penance which endures”

Plain-English meaning

The power of those who perform penance is the power of enduring hunger It is inferior to the power of those who remove the hunger (of others)

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Tamil pronunciation

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English Translation

Higher's power which hunger cures Than that of penance which endures

G.U. Pope Translation

'Mid devotees they're great who hunger's pangs sustain,Who hunger's pangs relieve a higher merit gain

Plain-English Meaning

The power of those who perform penance is the power of enduring hunger It is inferior to the power of those who remove the hunger (of others)

வல்லவர்க்கு மேலும் வலிமை, தமது பசியைப் பொறுத்துக் கொள்வதே அந்த வலிமையும், பிறர் பசியைப் போக்குபவரின் வலிமைக்கு அடுத்துத்தான் வலிமையாய் அமையும்.

Chapter 23

ஈகை

To give the poor is charity The rest is loan and vanity

To beg is bad e'en from the good To give is good, were heaven forbid

No pleading, \"I am nothing worth,\" But giving marks a noble birth

The cry for alms is painful sight Until the giver sees him bright

Higher's power which hunger cures Than that of penance which endures

Drive from the poor their gnawing pains If room you seek to store your gains

Who shares his food with those who need Hunger shall not harm his creed

The joy of give and take they lose Hard-hearted rich whose hoarding fails

Worse than begging is that boarding Alone what one's greed is hoarding

Nothing is more painful than death Yet more is pain of giftless dearth