Thirukkural 246 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
பொருள்நீங்கிப் பொச்சாந்தார் என்பர் அருள்நீங்கி
அல்லவை செய்தொழுகு வார்.
Transliteration
Porulneengip Pochchaandhaar Enpar Arulneengi
Allavai Seydhozhuku Vaar
Modern English
“People who abandon kindness and make a habit of cruelty are, in a real sense, people who've forgotten what actually matters in life.”
Modern Interpretation
People who abandon kindness and make a habit of cruelty are, in a real sense, people who've forgotten what actually matters in life. Chasing gain at others' expense costs more than it earns. For example, someone who tramples over others to get ahead may gain money or status, but ends up losing the parts of themselves worth having.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
People who abandon kindness and make a habit of cruelty are, in a real sense, people who've forgotten what actually matters in life.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Who grace forsake and graceless act The former loss and woes forget
G.U. Pope Translation
Gain of true wealth oblivious they eschew,Who 'grace' forsake, and graceless actions do
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
(The wise) say that those who neglect kindness and practise cruelties, neglected virtue (in their former birth), and forgot (the sorrows which they must suffer.)
Tamil commentary
அருள் இல்லாமல் தீமைகளைச் செய்து வாழ்பவரைப் பொருளையும் இழந்து தாம் துன்பம் அடைந்ததையும் மறந்தவர் என்று அறிஞர் கூறுவர்.
Chapter 25
More from Compassion
அருளுடைமை
The wealth of wealth is wealth of grace Earthly wealth e'en the basest has
Kural 242Seek by sound ways good compassion; All faiths mark that for-salvation
Kural 243The hearts of mercy shall not go Into dark worlds of gruesome woe
Kural 244His soul is free from dread of sins Whose mercy serveth all beings
Kural 245The wide wind-fed world witness bears: Men of mercy meet not sorrows
Kural 246Who grace forsake and graceless act The former loss and woes forget
Kural 247This world is not for weathless ones That world is not for graceless swines
Kural 248The wealthless may prosper one day; The graceless never bloom agay
Kural 249Like Truth twisted by confused mind Wisdom is vain in hearts unkind
Kural 250Think how you feel before the strong When to the feeble you do wrong