Kural 512Chapter 52: Selection and Employment

Thirukkural 512 in English

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

Tamil original

வாரி பெருக்கி வளம்படுத்து உற்றவை
ஆராய்வான் செய்க வினை.

Transliteration

Vaari Perukki Valampatuththu Utravai
Aaraaivaan Seyka Vinai

Modern English

“A capable worker grows resources, creates value, and looks ahead for problems that could waste them.”

Modern Interpretation

A capable worker grows resources, creates value, and looks ahead for problems that could waste them. For example, a small-business manager should find new customers, use profits wisely, and fix supply issues before they become crises.

Listen

Tamil pronunciation

Speed

Compare translations

Modern Plain English

A capable worker grows resources, creates value, and looks ahead for problems that could waste them.

Poetic Couplet (Bharati)

Let him act who resource swells; Fosters wealth and prevents ills

G.U. Pope Translation

Who swells the revenues, spreads plenty o'er the land,Seeks out what hinders progress, his the workman's hand

Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)

Let him do (the king's) work who can enlarge the sources (of revenue), increase wealth and considerately prevent the accidents (which would destroy it)

Tamil commentary

பொருள் வரும் வழியை விரிவாக்கி, வந்த பொருளால் மேலும் செல்வத்தை வளர்த்து, அப்போது அதனாலும் வரும் இடையூறுகளை ஆராய்ந்து நீக்கக் கூடியவன் பணியாற்றுக.

Chapter 52

More from Selection and Employment

தெரிந்து வினையாடல்

Read all 10 Kurals →

Kural 511

Employ the wise who will discern The good and bad and do good turn

Kural 512

Let him act who resource swells; Fosters wealth and prevents ills

Kural 513

Trust him in whom these four you see: Love, wit, non-craving, clarity

Kural 514

Though tried and found fit, yet we see Many differ before duty

Kural 515

Wise able men with power invest Not by fondness but by hard test

Kural 516

Discern the agent and the deed And just in proper time proceed

Kural 517

This work, by this, this man can do Like this entrust the duty due

Kural 518

His fitness for the duty scan Leave him to do the best he can

Kural 519

Who do duty for duty's sake Doubt them; and fortune departs quick

Kural 520

Worker straight the world is straight The king must look to this aright