Thirukkural 845 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
கல்லாத மேற்கொண் டொழுகல் கசடற
வல்லதூஉம் ஐயம் தரும்.
Transliteration
Kallaadha Merkon Tozhukal Kasatara
Valladhooum Aiyam Tharum
Modern English
“Pretending to know what you have not learned can make people doubt even the things you truly understand.”
Modern Interpretation
Pretending to know what you have not learned can make people doubt even the things you truly understand. If a student fakes expertise in a new subject, classmates may question their genuine work too.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Pretending to know what you have not learned can make people doubt even the things you truly understand.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Feigning knowledge that one has not Leads to doubt ev'n that he has got
G.U. Pope Translation
If men what they have never learned assume to know,Upon their real learning's power a doubt 'twill throw
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
Fools pretending to know what has not been read (by them) will rouse suspicion even as to what they have thoroughly mastered
Tamil commentary
அறிவற்றவர், தாம் படிக்காத நூல்களையும் படித்தவர் போலப் பேசிச்செயற்படுவது, அவர் உணமையிலேயே நன்கு அறிந்த நூல்களின் மேலும் சந்தேகத்தைப் பிறர்க்கு உண்டாக்கும்.
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