Thirukkural 250 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
வலியார்முன் தன்னை நினைக்கதான் தன்னின்
மெலியார்மேல் செல்லு மிடத்து.
Transliteration
Valiyaarmun Thannai Ninaikka Thaan
Thannin Meliyaarmel Sellu Mitaththu
Modern English
“Before mistreating someone weaker than you, stop and remember exactly how it feels to stand nervously in front of someone stronger than yourself.”
Modern Interpretation
Before mistreating someone weaker than you, stop and remember exactly how it feels to stand nervously in front of someone stronger than yourself. Everyone is someone else's stronger or weaker in turn. For example, a senior student about to bully a junior should recall how intimidating their own seniors once felt to them.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Before mistreating someone weaker than you, stop and remember exactly how it feels to stand nervously in front of someone stronger than yourself.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Think how you feel before the strong When to the feeble you do wrong
G.U. Pope Translation
When weaker men you front with threat'ning brow,Think how you felt in presence of some stronger foe
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
When a man is about to rush upon those who are weaker than himself, let him remember how he has stood (trembling) before those who are stronger than himself
Tamil commentary
அருள் இல்லாதவள், தன்னைவிட எளிய மனிதரைத் துன்புறுத்தச் செல்லும்போது, தன்னைவிட பலசாலி தன்னைத் துன்புறுத்த வந்தால் அவருக்கு முன் தான் அஞ்சி நிற்பதாக எண்ணிப் பார்க்க.
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