Thirukkural 534 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
அச்ச முடையார்க்கு அரணில்லை ஆங்கில்லை
பொச்சாப் புடையார்க்கு நன்கு.
Transliteration
Achcha Mutaiyaarkku Aranillai Aangillai
Pochchaap Putaiyaarkku Nanku
Modern English
“Good opportunities and strong protection are useless if carelessness makes you fail to use them.”
Modern Interpretation
Good opportunities and strong protection are useless if carelessness makes you fail to use them. For example, owning an excellent laptop does not help a student who repeatedly forgets to save their work.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Good opportunities and strong protection are useless if carelessness makes you fail to use them.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
The fearful find no fortress here The forgetful find good never
G.U. Pope Translation
'To cowards is no fort's defence'; e'en soThe self-oblivious men no blessing know
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
Just as the coward has no defence (by whatever fortifications ha may be surrounded), so the thoughtless has no good (whatever advantages he may possess)
Tamil commentary
மனத்துள் பயம் உள்ளவர்க்கு எத்தகைய பாதுகாப்பாலும் பயன் இல்லை. அதுபோலவே மறதி உடையவர்க்கும் பாதுகாப்பால் பயன் இல்லை.
Chapter 54
More from Unforgetfulness
பொச்சாவாமை
Worse than wrath in excess is Forgetfulness in joy-excess
Kural 532Negligence kills renown just as Ceaseless want wisdom destroys
Kural 533Forgetful nature fails of fame All schools of thinkers say the same
Kural 534The fearful find no fortress here The forgetful find good never
Kural 535Failing foresight the guardless man Shall rue his folly later on
Kural 536Forget none; watch with wakeful care Miss none; the gain is sans compare
Kural 537With cautious care pursue a thing Impossible there is nothing
Kural 538Do what the wise commend as worth If not, for seven births no mirth
Kural 539When joy deludes, their fate recall Whom negligence has made to fall
Kural 540Easy it is a thing to get When the mind on it is set