Thirukkural 606 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
படியுடையார் பற்றமைந்தக் கண்ணும் மடியுடையார்
மாண்பயன் எய்தல் அரிது.
Transliteration
Patiyutaiyaar Patramaindhak Kannum Matiyutaiyaar
Maanpayan Eydhal Aridhu
Modern English
“Even great wealth or powerful connections cannot help an idle person gain lasting benefit from them.”
Modern Interpretation
Even great wealth or powerful connections cannot help an idle person gain lasting benefit from them. For example, having expensive equipment and expert help means little if someone never makes the effort to use those advantages.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Even great wealth or powerful connections cannot help an idle person gain lasting benefit from them.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
With all the wealth of lords of earth The slothful gain nothing of worth
G.U. Pope Translation
Though lords of earth unearned possessions gain,The slothful ones no yield of good obtain
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
It is a rare thing for the idle, even when possessed of the riches of kings who ruled over the whole earth, to derive any great benefit from it
Tamil commentary
நிலம் முழுவதும் ஆண்ட மன்னர்களின் செல்வம் எல்லாம் சேர்ந்திருந்தாலும், சோம்பலை உடையவர் நல்ல பயனை அடைவது அரிது.
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