Thirukkural 997 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
அரம்போலும் கூர்மைய ரேனும் மரம்போல்வர்
மக்கட்பண்பு இல்லா தவர்.
Transliteration
Arampolum Koormaiya Renum Marampolvar
Makkatpanpu Illaa Thavar
Modern English
“A person may have a brilliant mind, but without human kindness they act like a sharp tool with no life in it.”
Modern Interpretation
A person may have a brilliant mind, but without human kindness they act like a sharp tool with no life in it. For example, a gifted programmer who humiliates everyone around them has skill but lacks true humanity.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
A person may have a brilliant mind, but without human kindness they act like a sharp tool with no life in it.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
The mannerless though sharp like file Are like wooden blocks indocile
G.U. Pope Translation
Though sharp their wit as file, as blocks they must remain,Whose souls are void of 'courtesy humane'
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
He who is destitute of (true) human qualities (only) resembles a tree, though he may possess the sharpness of a file
Tamil commentary
மனிதப்பண்பு இல்லாதவர்கள் அரம் போல அறிவுக்கூர்மை படைத்தவர் என்றாலும் ஓர் அறிவு படைத்த மரத்தைப் போன்றோரே.
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