Thirukkural 281 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
எள்ளாமை வேண்டுவான் என்பான் எனைத்தொன்றும்
கள்ளாமை காக்கதன் நெஞ்சு.
Transliteration
Ellaamai Ventuvaan Enpaan Enaiththondrum
Kallaamai Kaakkadhan Nenju
Modern English
“Anyone who wants to avoid disgrace must guard the mind against wanting what belongs to someone else.”
Modern Interpretation
Anyone who wants to avoid disgrace must guard the mind against wanting what belongs to someone else. Integrity begins before the hand reaches for anything. For example, refusing to copy a classmate’s work protects both their effort and your own reputation.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Anyone who wants to avoid disgrace must guard the mind against wanting what belongs to someone else.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Let him who would reproachless be From all frauds guard his conscience free
G.U. Pope Translation
Who seeks heaven's joys, from impious levity secure,Let him from every fraud preserve his spirit pure
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
Let him, who desires not to be despised, keep his mind from (the desire of) defrauding another of the smallest thing
Tamil commentary
அடுத்தவர் நம்மை இகழக்கூடாது என்று எண்ணுபவன், அடுத்தவர்க்குரிய எந்தப் பொருளையும் மனத்தால்கூடத் திருட நினைக்கக்கூடாது.
Chapter 29
More from The Absence of Fraud
கள்ளாமை
Let him who would reproachless be From all frauds guard his conscience free
Kural 282\"We will by fraud win other's wealth\" Even this thought is sin and stealth
Kural 283The gain by fraud may overflow But swift to ruin it shall go
Kural 284The fruit that fraud and greed obtain Shall end in endless grief and pain
Kural 285Love and Grace are not their worth Who watch to waylay dozer's wealth
Kural 286They cannot walk in measured bounds who crave and have covetous ends
Kural 287Men of measured wisdom shun Black art of fraud and what it won
Kural 288Virtue abides in righteous hearts Into minds of frauds deceit darts
Kural 289They perish in their perfidy Who know nothing but pilfery
Kural 290Even the body rejects thieves; The honest men, heaven receives