Thirukkural 9 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
கோளில் பொறியின் குணமிலவே எண்குணத்தான்
தாளை வணங்காத் தலை.
Transliteration
Kolil Poriyin Kunamilave Enkunaththaan
Thaalai Vanangaath Thalai
Modern English
“Having intelligence, talent, wealth, or influence alone does not make life meaningful.”
Modern Interpretation
Having intelligence, talent, wealth, or influence alone does not make life meaningful. These abilities are valuable only when guided by good character and wisdom. For example, a highly successful person may have money, status, and power, but if they lack integrity and compassion, people may fear them rather than respect them. Another person may have fewer achievements but lives with honesty, humility, and kindness. Over time, that person earns genuine trust and admiration. This Kural reminds us that our true value comes not from what we possess, but from the values that guide how we use our abilities.
Listen
Tamil pronunciation
Compare translations
Modern Plain English
Having intelligence, talent, wealth, or influence alone does not make life meaningful.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Like senses stale that head is vain Which bows not to Eight-Virtued Divine
G.U. Pope Translation
Before His foot, 'the Eight-fold Excellence,' with unbent head,Who stands, like palsied sense, is to all living functions dead
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
The head that worships not the feet of Him who is possessed of eight attributes, is as useless as a sense without the power of sensation
Tamil commentary
எண்ணும் நல்ல குணங்களுக்கு எல்லாம் இருப்பிடமான கடவுளின் திருவடிகளை வணங்காத தலைகள், புலன்கள் இல்லாத பொறிகள்போல, இருந்தும் பயன் இல்லாதவையே
Chapter 1
More from The Praise of God
கடவுள் வாழ்த்து
'A' leads letters; the Ancient Lord Leads and lords the entire world
Kural 2That lore is vain which does not fall At His good feet who knoweth all
Kural 3Long they live on earth who gain The feet of God in florid brain
Kural 4Who hold His feet who likes nor loathes Are free from woes of human births
Kural 5God's praise who tell, are free from right And wrong, the twins of dreaming night
Kural 6They prosper long who walk His way Who has the senses signed away
Kural 7His feet, whose likeness none can find, Alone can ease the anxious mind
Kural 8Who swims the sea of vice is he Who clasps the feet of Virtue's sea
Kural 9Like senses stale that head is vain Which bows not to Eight-Virtued Divine
Kural 10The sea of births they alone swim Who clench His feet and cleave to Him