Thirukkural 998 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
நண்பாற்றார் ஆகி நயமில செய்வார்க்கும்
பண்பாற்றார் ஆதல் கடை.
Transliteration
Nanpaatraar Aaki Nayamila Seyvaarkkum
Panpaatraar Aadhal Katai
Modern English
“Even toward people who dislike or harm us, we should keep our own decency while maintaining sensible boundaries.”
Modern Interpretation
Even toward people who dislike or harm us, we should keep our own decency while maintaining sensible boundaries. For example, replying calmly to a hostile email protects your dignity better than returning the insult.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Even toward people who dislike or harm us, we should keep our own decency while maintaining sensible boundaries.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Discourtesy is mean indeed E'en to a base unfriendly breed
G.U. Pope Translation
Though men with all unfriendly acts and wrongs assail,'Tis uttermost disgrace in 'courtesy' to fail
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
It is wrong (for the wise) not to exhibit (good) qualities even towards those who bearing no friendship (for them) do only what is hateful
Tamil commentary
தம்முடன் நட்புச் செய்யாமல் பகைமை கொண்டு தீமையே செய்பவர்க்கும் கூடப் பண்பற்றவராய் வாழ்வது இழுக்கே.
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