Thirukkural 248 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
பொருளற்றார் பூப்பர் ஒருகால் அருளற்றார்
அற்றார்மற் றாதல் அரிது.
Transliteration
Porulatraar Pooppar Orukaal Arulatraar
Atraarmar Raadhal Aridhu
Modern English
“Someone who loses their wealth can always work their way back to prosperity someday, but someone who loses their kindness has lost something far harder to rebuild.”
Modern Interpretation
Someone who loses their wealth can always work their way back to prosperity someday, but someone who loses their kindness has lost something far harder to rebuild. Losing your character costs more than losing your money. For example, a person who goes broke can recover in a few years, but someone who becomes hard-hearted rarely finds their way back to who they used to be.
Listen
Tamil pronunciation
Compare translations
Modern Plain English
Someone who loses their wealth can always work their way back to prosperity someday, but someone who loses their kindness has lost something far harder to rebuild.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
The wealthless may prosper one day; The graceless never bloom agay
G.U. Pope Translation
Who lose the flower of wealth, when seasons change, again may bloom;Who lose 'benevolence', lose all; nothing can change their doom
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
Those who are without wealth may, at some future time, become prosperous; those who are destitute of kindness are utterly destitute; for them there is no change
Tamil commentary
பொருள் இல்லாமல் ஏழையாய்ப் போனவர் திரும்பவும் செல்வத்தால் பொலிவு பெறலாம்; அருள் இல்லாமல் போனவரோ, போனவர்தாம்; மீண்டும் அருள் உள்ளவராய் ஆவது கடினம்.
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