THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 14

VERSES 131 TO 140

øÇæÐæËéìéë    Correct Behaviour


   
øÇæÐæ몠  ô¨Ççªç몠  êõùè䪠  øÇæÐæ몠  131
ãá¨õ¨Ä몠  Øëªç窠  çÌëª
 
øÇæÐæëª   good conduct
êõùè䪠     brings
øÇæÐæëª   good conduct
ãá¨õ¨Ä몠    more than life
Øëªç窠    çÌ몠     preserved

 
Good conduct brings eminence and is to be preserved more carefully than life.    

çõ¨åÐîêèëªç¨æÐ æèæÐæ øÇæÐæëª âêõ¨åÐîêèëªç¨êР 132
îêõ¨Ä몠  íþîê   Êéú
 
çõ¨åÐÊ   at all cost
Øëªç¨   preserved
æèæÐæ   and protected
øÇæÐæëª   good conduct
âêõ¨åÐÊ   however knowing
Øëªç¨   the steady mind
îêõ¨Äëª   curious and virtuous
íþîê   that good conduct
Êéú   is the only help

 
Good conduct,  preserved and protected at all cost is the only  help,  however
excellent and steady a mind one may possess.

øÇæÐæ몠  ãéìéë   Æïéë   ¬ÇæÐæ몠   133
¬È¨åÐê   ç¨÷çªçè᪠  ô¨Ìëª
 
øÇæÐæ몠                         Good character
ãéìéë   one with
Æïéë   is considered of noble birth
¬ÇæÐæëª   one without
¬È¨åÐê                            ignoble birth
ç¨÷çªçè᪠    ô¨Ì몠      is considered to be of

 
One with a good character is considered to be of noble birth and
one without, of ignoble birth, regardless of one's heritage.  

ë÷çªç¨Ä몠  øêÐÊæР  âæèóùèÆ몠  çèõÐçªçèäª134
ç¨÷çªâçèÇæÐ槪   Æäª÷æР  âæÌ몠        
ë÷çªç¨Äëª   even if he forgets
øêÐÊ   the scriptures
âæèóùèÆëª   he may learn again
çèõÐçªçèäª   learned man's
ç¨÷窵                  high birth
 øÇæÐ槪     Æäª÷   misconduct
 âæÌëª   will lose

The  learned can recall scriptures that he may forget but he cannot regain
stature lost due to misconduct.    

íÇæÐæè× ãéìáèäªæúª  ÍæÐæëªîçèäª× ¬ùªéù     135
øÇæÐæ   ë¨ùèäªæúª   ãáõв
 
íÇæÐæè×   Jealousy
ãéìáè䪠    æúª   he who possesses
ÍæÐæëªîçèäª×   acquires no prosperity
ãáõв     ¬ùªéù   acquires no stature
øÇæÐæëª   good behaviour
¬ùèäªæúª   he who does not possess

 
Just as jealousy cannot lead to  prosperity, one without propriety will not
rise in stature.  

 øÇæÐæêÐê¨äª øùªæèõÐ ãõîôèõÐ ¬ÇæÐæêÐê¨äª  136
Öê몠  çÌçèæÐÆ      í÷¨åÐÊ
 
øÇæÐæêÐê¨äª   good conduct
øùªæèõÐ   will not steer away from
ãõîôèõÐ   those with a firm mind
¬ÇæÐæêÐê¨äª   breach in good behaviour.
Öêëª   the ills arising from
çÌçèæÐÆ   í÷¨åÐÊ   realising

 
Those with a firm mind will not steer away from good conduct realising
the ills arising from the breach of good behaviour.  

øÇæÐæêÐê¨äª öáªÊôõÐ îëäªéë ¬ÇæÐæêÐê¨äª  137
öáªÊôõР  öáªêè窠  çȨ
øÇæÐæêÐê¨äª   Through good conduct
öáªÊôõÐ   one acquires
îëäªéë   greatness
¬ÇæÐæêÐê¨äª    one who fails in good conduct
öáªÊôõÐ   acquires
öáªêè窠    çȨ   disgrace

 
One acquires greatness  through good conduct failing which one acquires
only disgrace.  

åäª÷¨æÐÆ ô¨êÐêèÆëª åùªâùèÇæÐæëª138
ê©âáèÇæÐæ몠     öäª×몠  ¬Ìëªéç   êÕëª
 
åäª÷¨æÐÆ   of virtuousness
ô¨êÐêèÆëª   is the seed
åùªâùèÇæÐæëª   propriety of conduct
ê©âáèÇæÐæëª   improper conduct
öäª×ëª   always
¬Ìëªéç     êÕëª   causes sorrow.

 
  Propriety   of   conduct   is   the   seed   of   virtue; whereas   impropriety 
will     ever   cause   sorrow.    

øÇæÐæ   ËéìáôõÐæÐÆ   øùªùèîô   ê©á   139
ôÇæÐ樱몠  ôèáè÷ª   âòèùùª
 
øÇæÐæ몠    ãéìáôõÐæÐÆ   one of good conduct
øùªùèîô   cannot
ê©á   are harmful
ôÇæÐæ¨±ëª   even forgetfully
ôèáè÷ª     âòèùùª   speak words that

 
Those who follow good conduct cannot even forgetfully speak words
that harm.    

ãùæêÐîêèÌ   øìªì   øÇæùª   çùæ÷ª×몠  140
æùªùèõР  í÷¨ô¨ùè   êèõÐ
 
ãùæêÐîêèÌ   with the world around them
øìªì     øÇæùª   to conduct themselves properly
çùæ÷ª×ëª   however learned
æùªùèõÐ   those who do not learn
í÷¨ô¨ùè     êèõР    are considered ignorant

 
Those who do not learn to conduct themselves properly with the world around
them,  however learned otherwise, are still considered  ignorant.  


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