Thirukkural 841 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
அறிவின்மை இன்மையுள் இன்மை பிறிதின்மை
இன்மையா வையா துலகு.
Transliteration
Arivinmai Inmaiyul Inmai Piridhinmai
Inmaiyaa Vaiyaa Thulaku
Modern English
“Lack of wisdom is the greatest kind of poverty; lacking money is less serious if good judgment remains.”
Modern Interpretation
Lack of wisdom is the greatest kind of poverty; lacking money is less serious if good judgment remains. A person with few resources can rebuild, while a wealthy person without wisdom can ruin everything.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Lack of wisdom is the greatest kind of poverty; lacking money is less serious if good judgment remains.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Want of wisdom is want of wants Want of aught else the world nev'r counts
G.U. Pope Translation
Want of knowledge, 'mid all wants the sorest want we deem;Want of other things the world will not as want esteem
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
The want of wisdom is the greatest of all wants; but that of wealth the world will not regard as such
Tamil commentary
இல்லாமை பலவற்றுள்ளும் இல்லாமை, அறிவு இல்லாமல் இருத்தலே, பிற இல்லாமையைப் பெரியோர் இல்லாமையாகக் கருதமாட்டார்.
Chapter 85
More from Ignorance
புல்லறிவாண்மை
Want of wisdom is want of wants Want of aught else the world nev'r counts
Kural 842When fool bestows with glee a gift It comes but by getter's merit
Kural 843The self-torments of fools exceed Ev'n tortures of their foes indeed
Kural 844Stupidity is vanity That cries \"We have sagacity\"
Kural 845Feigning knowledge that one has not Leads to doubt ev'n that he has got
Kural 846Fools their nakedness conceal And yet their glaring faults reveal
Kural 847The fool that slights sacred counsels Upon himself great harm entails
Kural 848He listens not nor himself knows Plague is his life until it goes
Kural 849Sans Self-sight in vain one opens Sight To the blind who bet their sight as right
Kural 850To people's \"Yes\" who proffer \"No\" Deemed as ghouls on earth they go