Thirukkural 226 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
அற்றார் அழிபசி தீர்த்தல் அஃதொருவன்
பெற்றான் பொருள்வைப் புழி.
Transliteration
Atraar Azhipasi Theerththal Aqdhoruvan
Petraan Porulvaip Puzhi
Modern English
“Using what you've earned to relieve someone else's desperate hunger is the safest place to put that wealth.”
Modern Interpretation
Using what you've earned to relieve someone else's desperate hunger is the safest place to put that wealth. It's an investment that never really loses value. For example, spending savings to make sure a struggling neighbor's family eats well is wealth put to better use than any amount left sitting in a bank account.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Using what you've earned to relieve someone else's desperate hunger is the safest place to put that wealth.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Drive from the poor their gnawing pains If room you seek to store your gains
G.U. Pope Translation
Let man relieve the wasting hunger men endure;For treasure gained thus finds he treasure-house secure
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
The removal of the killing hunger of the poor is the place for one to lay up his wealth
Tamil commentary
ஏதும் இல்லாதவரின் கடும்பசியைத் தீர்த்து வையுங்கள். பொருளைப் பெற்றவன் சேமித்து வைக்கும் இடம் அதுவே.
Chapter 23
More from Giving
ஈகை
To give the poor is charity The rest is loan and vanity
Kural 222To beg is bad e'en from the good To give is good, were heaven forbid
Kural 223No pleading, \"I am nothing worth,\" But giving marks a noble birth
Kural 224The cry for alms is painful sight Until the giver sees him bright
Kural 225Higher's power which hunger cures Than that of penance which endures
Kural 226Drive from the poor their gnawing pains If room you seek to store your gains
Kural 227Who shares his food with those who need Hunger shall not harm his creed
Kural 228The joy of give and take they lose Hard-hearted rich whose hoarding fails
Kural 229Worse than begging is that boarding Alone what one's greed is hoarding
Kural 230Nothing is more painful than death Yet more is pain of giftless dearth