Thirukkural 332 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
கூத்தாட்டு அவைக்குழாத் தற்றே பெருஞ்செல்வம்
போக்கும் அதுவிளிந் தற்று.
Transliteration
Kooththaattu Avaik Kuzhaath Thatre
Perunjelvam Pokkum Adhuvilin Thatru
Modern English
“Wealth gathers like a crowd arriving for a performance, then disappears like that crowd leaving when the show ends.”
Modern Interpretation
Wealth gathers like a crowd arriving for a performance, then disappears like that crowd leaving when the show ends. Having money is temporary, so it should not become the center of life. For example, savings can grow over years and vanish quickly through one major expense.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Wealth gathers like a crowd arriving for a performance, then disappears like that crowd leaving when the show ends.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Like a drama-crowd wealth gathers Like passing show its pride too goes
G.U. Pope Translation
As crowds round dancers fill the hall, is wealth's increase;Its loss, as throngs dispersing, when the dances cease
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
The acquisition of wealth is like the gathering together of an assembly for a theatre; its expenditure is like the breaking up of that assembly
Tamil commentary
நாடக அரங்கிற்கு கூட்டம் வருவது போல் சிறுகச் சிறுக செல்வம் சேரும். நாடகம் முடிந்ததும கூட்டம் கலைவது போல் மொத்தமாய்ப் போய்விடும்.
Chapter 34
More from Instability
நிலையாமை
The worst of follies it is told The fleeting as lasting to hold
Kural 332Like a drama-crowd wealth gathers Like passing show its pride too goes
Kural 333Wealth wanes away; but when it comes Take care to do enduring things
Kural 334The showy day is but a saw Your life, know that, to file and gnaw
Kural 335Ere tongue benumbs and hiccough comes Rise up to do good deeds betimes
Kural 336One was yesterday; not today!
Kural 337Man knows not his next moment On crores of things he is intent
Kural 338The soul from body any day Like bird from egg-shell flies away
Kural 339Death is like a slumber deep And birth like waking from that sleep
Kural 340The life berthed in this body shows A fixed home it never knows