Thirukkural 604 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
குடிமடிந்து குற்றம் பெருகும் மடிமடிந்து
மாண்ட உஞற்றி லவர்க்கு.
Transliteration
Kutimatindhu Kutram Perukum Matimatindhu
Maanta Ugnatri Lavarkku
English Translation
“Who strive not high, sunk deep in sloth Ruin their house by evil growth”
Plain-English meaning
Family (greatness) will be destroyed, and faults will increase, in those men who give way to laziness, and put forth no dignified exertions
Listen
Tamil pronunciation
Compare translations
English Translation
Who strive not high, sunk deep in sloth Ruin their house by evil growth
G.U. Pope Translation
His family decays, and faults unheeded thrive,Who, sunk in sloth, for noble objects doth not strive
Plain-English Meaning
Family (greatness) will be destroyed, and faults will increase, in those men who give way to laziness, and put forth no dignified exertions
Tamil commentary
சோம்பலில் வீழ்வதால் சிறந்தவற்றையேச் செய்யும் முயற்சியே இல்லாதவரின் குடும்பமும் அழியும் குற்றமும் பெருகும்.
Chapter 61
More from Unsluggishness
மடி இன்மை
Quenchless lamp of ancestry goes When foul idleness encloses
Kural 602To make your home an ideal home Loath sloth as sloth; refuse it room
Kural 603The fool who fosters sluggishness Before he dies ruins his house
Kural 604Who strive not high, sunk deep in sloth Ruin their house by evil growth
Kural 605To lag, forget, idle and doze These four are pleasure boats of loss
Kural 606With all the wealth of lords of earth The slothful gain nothing of worth
Kural 607The slothful lacking noble deeds Subject themselves to scornful words
Kural 608If sloth invades a noble house It will become a slave of foes
Kural 609The blots on race and rule shall cease When one from sloth gets his release
Kural 610The slothless king shall gain en masse *All regions trod by Lord apace * Hindu mythology holds that Lord Vishnu measured with his feet the three worlds