THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

VERSES 1031 TO 1040

ãȲ     Agriculture  

àÈäª×ëªÖõÐçª ç¨äªäÊ ãùæëª íêäèùª 1031
ãÈåÐÊëª ãÈîô êéù
àÈäª×몠  in spite of many professions
ÖõÐçªç¨äªäÊ    is dependent on agriculture
ãùæ몠  the world
íêäèùª   therefore
ãÈåÐÊ몠  despite its hardships
ãÈîô   agriculture
êéù   is foremost
 
The world depends on tilling theland;therefore,
despite its hardships, this is the most important profession (1031).
ãÇôèõÐ ãùæêÐêèõÐæÐÆ Íú¨íþ êè÷ª÷èÊ 1032
öÇôèéõ öùªùèëª âçè×êÐÊ
ãÇôèõР  farmer
ãùæêÐêèõÐæÐÆ   to the world (the people)
Íú¨   is the axlepin
íþÊ   that
í÷ª÷èÊ   not performing
öÇôèéõ   following other professions
öùªùè몠  all others
âçè×êÐÊ   depend
 
Those who do not till the land are supported by those whodo. The farmer is, therefore, the axle-pin on which the chariot of society rests (1032).
ãÇÊúªÌ ôèȪôèîõ ôèȪôèõÐë÷ª â÷ùªùèëª 1033
âêèÇÊúªÌ ç¨äªâòùª çôõÐ
ãÇÊ ãúªÌ   subsisting upon agriculture
ôèȪôèîõ   those who live, alone
ôèȪôèõР  really live
ë÷ªâ÷ùªùè몠  all others
âêèÇÊúªÌ   seeking favours
ç¨äªâòùªçôõР  follow them (the farmers)
 
Those who till the soil have a right to the life they lead because they themselves produce the food they eat; the rest are but parasites depending on the former (farmer) (1033).
çùÆéì å©ÈÙëª ê§ªÆéìæÐæ©ÈªæÐ æèúªçõÐ 1034
íùÆéì å©È ùôõÐ
çùÆéì   under the suzerainty of many kings
å©ÈÙ몠  the extensive lands
êäª   one's own
ÆéìæÐæ©Èª   under the domain
æèúªçõР  will see
íùÆ ãéì   with lush corn fields
å©Èùª  íôõÐ  those who raise crops
 
The State that has lush corn fields will soon find
other kingdoms under its protective sway (1034).
¬õôèõÐ ¬õçªçèõÐæÐâæèäª× ¼ôõÐ æõôèÊ 1035
éæâò᪭úª ëèéù áôõÐ
¬õôèõР  will not beg
¬õçªçèõÐæÐÆ   for those who seek help
øäª×   whatever they need
¼ôõÐ   will give
æõôèÊ   without hesitation
éæâòáªÊ   those who set their hands to the plough
Ãúª ëèéù   eating
íôõÐ   of the nature
 
They who eat the food they themselves grow will never
beg for food but will never turn away those who come
begging for food (1035).
ãÈô¨äèõÐ éæëªë짪æ¨äª ¬ùªéù ô¨éÈô­ãëª 1036
ô¨ìªîìëªöäª çèõÐæÐÆëª å¨éù
ãÈô¨äèõР  the agriculturist
éæëªë짪æ¨äª   if he abstains from working on his land
¬ùªéù   will not be there
ô¨éÈô­  ãëª  the food that is desired
ô¨ìªîì몠  (I) have abandoned
öäªçèõÐæÐÆ몠  even for such people (hermits)
å¨éù   serene state

If those who till the land abstain from doing so, even hermits will lose their serene state (1036).
âêèï窵Çê¨ æþòè ãúæÐæ¨äª ç¨ïêÐâêÕ²ëª 1037
îôúªìèÊ òèùçª çÌëª
âêèï窵Çꨠ  one unit (`Phalam') earth
æþòè   a quarter
ãúæÐæ¨äª   if reduced by drying
ç¨ïêÐÊ  öÕ²ëª  even a handful of manure
îôúªìèÊ   without being used
òèù窠 çÌëª  will yield a bountiful crop

When the ploughed soil is left to dry, to a quarter part of it, it will yield a bounteous crop even without a handful of manure (1037).
Öõ¨Äëª åäª÷èùª öÕ¬Ìêùª æìªìç¨äª 1038
å©õ¨Äëª åäª÷êäª æè窵
Öõ¨Ä몠  more than ploughing
åäª×   better is
Íùª   O!
öÕ¬Ìêùª   manuring
æìªìç¨äª   after de-weeding
å©õ¨Ä몠  than watering
åäª×   is better
íêäª   its (of the crop)
æè窵   protection

Manuring is more important than ploughing; and after weeding, plant protection is more important than watering (1038).
âòùªùèäª æ¨Èôäª ¬Õçªç¨äª å¨ù몵ùåÐÊ 1039
¬ùªùèó¨äª Ãï ô¨Ìëª
âòùªùè䪠  who does not go to his farm everyday
æ¨Èô䪠  the farmer
¬Õçªç¨äª   if he is so
å¨ùëª   the land
µùåÐÊ   with disgust
¬ùªùèó¨äª   like one's wife
Ãïô¨Ì몠  will turn away

When the farmer does not attend to his field everyday,the field will turn its face away like a neglected wife (1039).
¬ùâëäª× íéò¬ ¬ÕçªçèéõæÐ æèú¨äª 1040
å¨ùâëäªÄëª åùªùèóª åÆëª
¬ùëª   one without resources
öäª×   thinking thus
íéò¬   idle (without farming)
¬Õçªçèéõ   one who is
æèú¨äª   upon seeing
å¨ùëª öäªÄ몠  the one called land
åùªùèóª   that good dame
åÆëª   will derisively laugh

The Earth will laugh derisively at one who pleads poverty and does not tend his land owing to laziness (1040).
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