Thirukkural 82 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
விருந்து புறத்ததாத் தானுண்டல் சாவா
மருந்தெனினும் வேண் டற்பாற் றன்று.
Transliteration
Virundhu Puraththadhaath Thaanuntal Saavaa
Marundheninum Ventarpaar Randru
Modern English
“It is wrong to enjoy comfort while knowingly leaving a guest or visitor without care.”
Modern Interpretation
It is wrong to enjoy comfort while knowingly leaving a guest or visitor without care. The verse uses even the food of immortality to show that generosity should come before private indulgence. For example, if a visitor arrives at mealtime, a considerate host offers what is available instead of eating alone and pretending not to notice.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
It is wrong to enjoy comfort while knowingly leaving a guest or visitor without care.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
To keep out guests cannot be good Albeit you eat nector-like food
G.U. Pope Translation
Though food of immortality should crown the board,Feasting alone, the guests without unfed, is thing abhorred
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
It is not fit that one should wish his guests to be outside (his house) even though he were eating the food of immortality
Tamil commentary
விருந்தினர் வீட்டிற்கு வெளியே இருக்கத் தான் மட்டும் தனித்து உண்பது, சாவைத் தடுக்கும் மருந்தே என்றாலும், விரும்பத் தக்கது அன்று
Chapter 9
More from Hospitality
விருந்தோம்பல்
Men set up home, toil and earn To tend the guests and do good turn
Kural 82To keep out guests cannot be good Albeit you eat nector-like food
Kural 83Who tends his guests day in and out His life in want never wears out
Kural 84The goddess of wealth will gladly rest Where smiles welcome the worthy guest
Kural 85Should his field be sown who first Feeds the guests and eats the rest?
Kural 86Who tends a guest and looks for next Is a welcome guest in heaven's feast
Kural 87Worth of the guest of quality Is worth of hospitality
Kural 88Who loathe guest-service one day cry: \"We toil and store; but life is dry\"
Kural 89The man of wealth is poor indeed Whose folly fails the guest to feed
Kural 90Anicham smelt withers: like that A wry-faced look withers the guest