Thirukkural 45 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
அன்பும் அறனும் உடைத்தாயின் இல்வாழ்க்கை
பண்பும் பயனும் அது.
Transliteration
Anpum Aranum Utaiththaayin Ilvaazhkkai
Panpum Payanum Adhu
Modern English
“A good family life needs both love and responsible action.”
Modern Interpretation
A good family life needs both love and responsible action. Love creates closeness, while virtue builds trust, fairness, and reliability. For example, partners who listen to each other, share household duties, and support one another during illness create a home that is both caring and strong. The love they give is also the happiness they receive.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
A good family life needs both love and responsible action.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
In grace and gain the home excels, Where love with virtue sweetly dwells
G.U. Pope Translation
If love and virtue in the household reign,This is of life the perfect grace and gain
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
If the married life possess love and virtue, these will be both its duty and reward
Tamil commentary
மனைவி பிள்ளைகளிடத்தில் அன்பும், தேடிய பொருளை நட்பு சுற்றங்களுடன் பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளும் அறமும் இருந்தால் இல்வாழ்க்கையின் பண்பும் அதுவே; பயனும் அதுவே.
Chapter 5
More from Domestic Life
இல்வாழ்க்கை
The ideal householder is he Who aids the natural orders there
Kural 42His help the monk and retired share, And celibate students are his care
Kural 43By dutiful householder's aid God, manes, kin, self and guests are served
Kural 44Sin he shuns and food he shares His home is bright and brighter fares
Kural 45In grace and gain the home excels, Where love with virtue sweetly dwells
Kural 46Who turns from righteous family To be a monk, what profits he?
Kural 47Of all who strive for bliss, the great Is he who leads the married state
Kural 48Straight in virtue, right in living Make men brighter than monks praying
Kural 49Home-life and virtue, are the same; Which spotless monkhood too can claim
Kural 50He is a man of divine worth Who lives in ideal home on earth