Thirukkural 321 in English

Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.

Tamil original

அறவினை யாதெனின் கொல்லாமை கோறல்
பிறவினை எல்லாந் தரும்.

Transliteration

Aravinai Yaadhenin Kollaamai Koral
Piravinai Ellaan Tharum

English Translation

“What is Virtue? 'Tis not to kill For killing causes every ill”

Plain-English meaning

Never to destroy life is the sum of all virtuous conduct The destruction of life leads to every evil

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Tamil pronunciation

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English Translation

What is Virtue? 'Tis not to kill For killing causes every ill

G.U. Pope Translation

What is the work of virtue? 'Not to kill';For 'killing' leads to every work of ill

Plain-English Meaning

Never to destroy life is the sum of all virtuous conduct The destruction of life leads to every evil

அறச்செயல் எது என்றால், பிற உயிர்களைக் கொலை செய்யாது இருப்பதே; கொல்வது அனைத்துப் பாவங்களையும் தரும்.

Chapter 33

கொல்லாமை

What is Virtue? 'Tis not to kill For killing causes every ill

Share the food and serve all lives This is the law of all the laws

Not to kill is unique good The next, not to utter falsehood

What way is good? That we can say The way away from heat to slay

Of saints who renounce birth-fearing The head is he who dreads killing

Life-eating-Death shall spare the breath Of him who no life puts to death

Kill not life that others cherish Even when your life must perish

The gain of slaughter is a vice Though deemed good in sacrifice

Those who live by slaying are Eaters of carrion bizarre!

The loathsome poor sickly and sore Are killers stained by blood before