THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION-53-

 
à÷ª÷åР  êÈèùª     Supporting  One's   Kin

 
ç÷ª÷÷ª÷   æúªÑ몠  çéÈéëçè   õèìªÌêùª             521
à÷ª÷êÐêèõР  æúªîú   ãó
 
ç÷ª×    í÷ª÷   æúªÑ몠      even when fallen on evil days
çéÈéë                            old attachments and help
çèõèìªÌêùª                       valued and remembered
à÷ª÷êÐêèõР   æúªîú            by the relatives
ãó                                    is their nature
   
Even   when   one   becomes   poor,   old   attachments   are   valued
by   one's   kin   (521).
   
ô¨Õçªç÷èòР à÷ª÷몠 ¬éáá¨äª  íÕçªç÷è          522
ÍæÐæ몠  çù²åР  êÕëª
 
 
ô¨Õ窵    í÷è       unfailing affection
à÷ª÷몠                  one's kith and kin
¬éáá¨äª             if is obtained
íÕ窵í÷è         increasing
ÍæÐæ몠                 wealth
çù²ëª    êÕ몠      of various types will ensue
 
The   unfailing   affection   of   one's   kin   will   always   continue
to   bring   him   good   in   many   ways   (522).
   
íóôóè   ô¨ùªùèêè䪠  ôèȪæÐéæ   ÆóôóèæР      523
îæèïäª÷¨   å©õÐå¨é÷åР  ê÷ª×
 
íó²íóè²         mutual mixing
¬ùªùèêè䪠          the one who does not have
ôèȪæÐéæ               life
Æóôóè                in the tank
îæèÌ    ¬äª÷¨        without banks
å©õÐå¨é÷åÐÊ             water brimful
í÷ª×                    like
 
 
The   life   of   one   who   does   not   have   the   caring   affection   of
friends   is   like   the   tank   without   bounds   where   the   water
goes   waste   (523).    
à÷ª÷êÐêèùª   à÷ª÷窠  çìøÇæùª   âòùªôåÐêè䪠      524
âç÷ª÷êÐêèùª   âç÷ª÷   çáäª
 
 
à÷ª÷êÐêèùª             by one's relations
à÷ª÷窠   çì           in a manner surrounded
øÇæùª                  living
âòùªô몠              wealth
êè䪠                    one
âç÷ª÷êÐêèùª         if is attained by
âç÷ª÷    çá䪠      the result
 
The   value   of   one's   wealth   lies   in   binding   one's   kin   to
oneself   with   bonds   of   affection   (524).
   
âæèÌêÐêÙ몠  ¬äªâòèÙ몠  Í÷ª÷¨äª   íÌæÐæ¨á     525
à÷ª÷êÐêèùª   à÷ª÷窠  çÌëª
 
 
âæèÌêÐêÙ몠      giving generously
¬äªâòèÙ몠      speaking kind words
Í÷ª÷¨äª               if one practises
íÌæÐæ¨á             will attract
à÷ª÷êÐêèùª           by one's kith and kin
à÷ª÷窠   çÌ몠      being surrounded

Generous   giving   and   kind   words   will   attract   all   of
one's   kin   to   oneself   (525).
   
âçÕ§ªâæèéìáè䪠 îçúè䪠 âôÆó¨  íôä¨äª     526
ëÕ§ªÆéìáèõР  ëèå¨ùêÐÊ   ¬ùª
 
 
âçÕëªâæèéìáè䪠      extremely generous
îçúè䪠   âôÆó¨         not given to anger
íôä¨äª                        like such a person
ëÕ§ªÆ    ãéìáèõР        possessing a large following of
ëèå¨ùêÐÊ    ¬ùª             none in this world
 
He   who   is   generous   and   eschews   anger   cannot   be   matched
by   many   in   this   world,   as   regards   those   who   flock   to   him   (526).
   
æèæÐéæ   æõôè   æéõåÐÊúªÑ몠  ÍæÐæË몠    527
íäªä   å©õèõÐæÐîæ   ãó
 
æèæÐéæ                       the crow
æõôè                          what he gets
æéõåÐÊ                       calling (sharing with) its kin
ãúªÑ몠                    and then partake of
ÍæÐæË몠                   the wealth of relations,likewise
íäªä    å©õèõÐæÐîæ       to those possessing this nature (of sharing)
ãó                             is available

The   crow   always   shares   with   his   kin   whatever   he   gets;
he   who   has   the   same   qualities   will   always   have
the   wealth   of   kith   and   kin   (527).

 
âçèÊîåèæÐæè䪠 îôåÐê䪠 ôõ¨éòáè îåèæÐæ¨äª      528
íÊîåèæÐ樠  ôèȪôèõР  çùõÐ
 
âçèÊîåèæÐæè䪠      one who does not see others equally
îôåÐê䪠                   the king
ôõ¨éòáè                  according to the worth of each
îåèæÐæ¨äª                   if (he) considers
íÊîåèæÐ樠              in that light
ôèȪôèõР                 those who will be attached to him
çùõР                        will be many
   
The   king   who   judges   people   based   on   their   capacity   will   command
many   who   gather   around   him   (528).
 
 
êëõèæ¨êР  ê䪠  Ê÷åÐêèõР  à÷ª÷몠  íëõèéëæР     529
æèõú몠  ¬äª÷¨   ôÕëª
 
êëõР   Í樠                         being in one's camp
ê䪠  Ê÷åÐêèõР                   later parting ways
à÷ª÷몠                               again becoming one's kinfolk
íëõèéëæР   æèõú몠       the reason for earlier parting
¬äª÷¨                               if dissolved
ôÕ몠                               will again rise
 
Kinsfolk   who   leave   you   for   some   reason,   will   return   to   you
when   that   reason   no   longer   exists   (529).
   
ãéÈçªç¨õ¨åÐÊ  æèõúêÐê¨äª  ôåÐêèéä  îôåÐê䪠    530
¬éÈêÐê¨ÕåÐÊ   öúªú¨æР  âæèóùª
 
ãéÈçªç¨õ¨åÐÊ              having parted company for no reason
æèõúêÐê¨äª                  for one reason
ôåÐêèéä                     the one who returns to the fold
îôåÐê䪠                      the king
¬éÈêÐÊ    ¬ÕåÐÊ       doing what pleases him
öúªú¨                         after having considered
âæèóùª                       should accept him
   
Those   who   leave   the   king's   fold   and   later   return   for   some
reason,   should   be   accepted   after   doing   what   pleases   them
and   after   due   consideration   (530).  


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