Thirukkural 993 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
உறுப்பொத்தல் மக்களொப்பு அன்றால் வெறுத்தக்க
பண்பொத்தல் ஒப்பதாம் ஒப்பு.
Transliteration
Uruppoththal Makkaloppu Andraal Veruththakka
Panpoththal Oppadhaam Oppu
Modern English
“Shared bodies or backgrounds do not make people truly alike; shared good qualities do.”
Modern Interpretation
Shared bodies or backgrounds do not make people truly alike; shared good qualities do. For example, a diverse team becomes a real community when its members show fairness, care, and honesty toward one another.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Shared bodies or backgrounds do not make people truly alike; shared good qualities do.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Likeness in limbs is not likeness It's likeness in kind courteousness
G.U. Pope Translation
Men are not one because their members seem alike to outward view;Similitude of kindred quality makes likeness true
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
Resemblance of bodies is no resemblance of souls; true resemblance is the resemblance of qualities that attract
Tamil commentary
உறுப்புக்களின் தோற்றத்தால் பிறருடன் ஒத்திருப்பது ஒப்பு ஆகாது; உள்ளத்துடன் இணையும் பண்பால் பிறருடன் ஒத்திருப்பதே ஒப்பு ஆகும்.
Chapter 100
More from Courtesy
பண்புடைமை
To the polite free of access Easily comes courteousness
Kural 992Humanity and noble birth Develop courtesy and moral worth
Kural 993Likeness in limbs is not likeness It's likeness in kind courteousness
Kural 994The world applauds those helpful men Whose actions are just and benign
Kural 995The courteous don't even foes detest For contempt offends even in jest
Kural 996The world rests with the mannered best Or it crumbles and falls to dust
Kural 997The mannerless though sharp like file Are like wooden blocks indocile
Kural 998Discourtesy is mean indeed E'en to a base unfriendly breed
Kural 999To those bereft of smiling light Even in day the earth is night
Kural 1000The wealth heaped by the churlish base Is pure milk soured by impure vase