Thirukkural 271 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
வஞ்ச மனத்தான் படிற்றொழுக்கம் பூதங்கள்
ஐந்தும் அகத்தே நகும்.
Transliteration
Vanja Manaththaan Patitrozhukkam Poodhangal
Aindhum Akaththe Nakum
Modern English
“A dishonest person who pretends to be virtuous cannot hide the truth from himself; it is as if the very elements of his body were laughing at the act.”
Modern Interpretation
A dishonest person who pretends to be virtuous cannot hide the truth from himself; it is as if the very elements of his body were laughing at the act. False goodness is still deception. For example, someone who posts about integrity while cheating in private eventually exposes the gap.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
A dishonest person who pretends to be virtuous cannot hide the truth from himself; it is as if the very elements of his body were laughing at the act.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Elements five of feigned life Of a sly hypocrite within laugh
G.U. Pope Translation
Who with deceitful mind in false way walks of covert sin,The five-fold elements his frame compose, decide within
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
The five elements (of his body) will laugh within him at the feigned conduct of the deceitful minded man
Tamil commentary
வஞ்ச மனத்தவனின் திருட்டு நடத்தையைக் கண்டு அவன் உடம்போடு கலந்து இருக்கும் நிலம், நீர், தீ, காற்று, ஆகாயம் என்னும் ஐந்து பூதங்களும் தமக்குள் சிரிக்கும்.
Chapter 28
More from Imposture
கூடா ஒழுக்கம்
Elements five of feigned life Of a sly hypocrite within laugh
Kural 272Of what avail are sky-high shows When guild the conscience gnaws and knows
Kural 273Vaunting sainthood while week within Seems a grazer with tiger skin
Kural 274Sinning in saintly show is like Fowlers in ambush birds to strike
Kural 275Who false within but freedom feign Shall moan \"What have we done\" with pain
Kural 276Vilest is he who seems a saint Cheating the world without restraint
Kural 277Berry-red is his outward view, Black like its nose his inward hue
Kural 278Filthy in mind some bathe in streams Hiding sins in showy extremes
Kural 279Know men by acts and not by forms Strait arrow kills, bent lute but charms
Kural 280No balding nor tangling the hair! Abstain from condemned acts with care