Thirukkural 282 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
உள்ளத்தால் உள்ளலும் தீதே பிறன்பொருளைக்
கள்ளத்தால் கள்வேம் எனல்.
Transliteration
Ullaththaal Ullalum Theedhe Piranporulaik
Kallaththaal Kalvem Enal
Modern English
“Even planning to secretly take another person’s property is already a moral failure.”
Modern Interpretation
Even planning to secretly take another person’s property is already a moral failure. Wrongdoing begins in the mind before it appears in action. For example, deciding how to use a friend’s password without permission is wrong even if you never log in.
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Modern Plain English
Even planning to secretly take another person’s property is already a moral failure.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
\"We will by fraud win other's wealth\" Even this thought is sin and stealth
G.U. Pope Translation
'Tis sin if in the mind man but thought conceive;'By fraud I will my neighbour of his wealth bereave.'
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
Even the thought (of sin) is sin; think not then of crafiily stealing the property of another
Tamil commentary
அடுத்தவர் பொருளை அவருக்குத் தெரியாமல் திருடுவோம் என்று மனத்தால் நினைப்பதும் தீமையானது.
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