Thirukkural 229 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
இரத்தலின் இன்னாது மன்ற நிரப்பிய
தாமே தமியர் உணல்.
Transliteration
Iraththalin Innaadhu Mandra Nirappiya
Thaame Thamiyar Unal
Modern English
“Keeping everything to yourself and eating alone while others go without is actually worse than having to beg for help.”
Modern Interpretation
Keeping everything to yourself and eating alone while others go without is actually worse than having to beg for help. Selfishness carries its own quiet shame. For example, someone who refuses to share a windfall with family in need often ends up more isolated than the people they turned away.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Keeping everything to yourself and eating alone while others go without is actually worse than having to beg for help.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Worse than begging is that boarding Alone what one's greed is hoarding
G.U. Pope Translation
They keep their garners full, for self alone the board they spread;-'Tis greater pain, be sure, than begging daily bread
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
Solitary and unshared eating for the sake of filling up one's own riches is certainly much more
Tamil commentary
பொருளைப் பெருக்க எண்ணி, எவருக்கும் தராமல், தானே தனித்து உண்பது, பிறரிடம் கை ஏந்துவதைவிடக் கொடியது.
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