Thirukkural in English: Getting close to the original

	Tirukkural: Getting close to the original
	In Spirit, Content and Style
	The 'choicest' of all translations in English

Edited by: N.V.K. Ashraf

This Tirukkural translation in English is drawn from a comparative study of 25 different translations. Sixteen of these were either complete or partial translations and the remaining nine were translations that appeared in articles, monographs and books authored by different people on Tirukkural and Tiruvalluvar. The choicest translation that is close to the original - in spirit, content and style - has been chosen for presentation. Preference has been given for brevity, simplicity and clarity. Emphasize was also laid on translations that manage to reflect, as much as possible, every word found in the original. Sometimes translations of two authors were combined to produce the best reflection of the original. The translator or translators of every couplet have been acknowledged with their initials (eg. PS, SS, SB, VS etc.) in a separate column. The initials have been expanded with the full names of these translators at the end of this page. When no translation was found particularly satisfactory, I chose to render them myself. These have been marked by initial NV. An astrix (*) at the end of a translation indicate that the rendering has been improved upon, either by adding/replacing words or deleting words found to be unnecessary. To know more on the process of this comparison and criteria of selection, click here: Comparing Tirukkural translations to unfold the best.

Division I. Virtue

021	Dread of evil deeds	Translators	Notes
0201	The sinful will not dread; the great will dread The wanton pride of sinful action.	MS	Yes
0202	Evil begets evil and hence Fear evil more than fire. *	KK, SI
0203	The height of wisdom, it is said, Is not to return ill for ill.	PS
0204	Plot not thy neighbour's fall, even forgetfully; Else, justice will plot the plotter's fall. *	GU, NV
0205	Plead not poverty for doing ill, Whereby you will become poorer still.	PS
0206	Let him, who seeks to be free from suffering, Not be a cause of suffering to others.	KV
0207	Escape from other enemies is likely, But not from the relentless pursuit of evil deeds. *	CR
0208	The consequences of evil deeds leave not Like the persistent shadow under the feet.	NV
0209	If you love yourself, Refrain from causing ill of any degree. *	PS
0210	Know that no harm shall ever befall the one Who never strays into evil. *	PS

Notes:
201. Compare with 428. "It is folly not to fear what ought to be feared. The wise dread what ought to be dreaded" * - SS
203. Compare with 312. “The code of the pure in heart is not to hurt in return any hurt caused in hate” * - PS

022	Knowledge of obligation	Translators	Notes
0211	Duty is not for reward. Does the world recompense the rain-cloud?	PS
0212	All the wealth earned by toils Is meant to serve those who deserve. *	SB	Yes
0213	Rare it is to find another good equal to benevolence, Either here or in the heaven. *	DL
0214	He who knows what is right, lives; The rest will be placed amongst the dead.	NV
0215	The wealth of a wise philanthropist Is a village pool ever full.	PS
0216	When wealth comes to the generous, It is like the village tree coming to fruit. *	CR
0217	When wealth comes to the large-hearted, It is like an unfailing medicine tree. *	PS
0218	Those known for their duty will not slacken to help Even during times of poverty.	NV
0219	The poverty of a generous man is nothing but His inability to exercise his generosity. *	DL	Yes
0220	If poverty comes of doing good, One's self may be sold to do it.	PS

Notes:
212. Compare with 81. "It is to exercise the benevolence of hospitality that people earn a living and establish homes" -DL, NV. The word "தக்கார்க்கு" in this couplet can be translated as "deserving" or "worthy". Using the latter meaning, PS and VS translate this couplet as: "The worthy work and earn their wealth in order to help others" – PS.
215. Compare with 523. “The life of an unattached man is like a boundless pond flowing unbound” - PS, NV
219. Compare with 1010. "The brief want of the benign rich is like the monsoon clouds just shed its moisture" - SB, NV

023	Charity	Translators	Notes
0221	To give to the needy alone is charity; All the rest is investment for a return.	DZ
0222	To receive is bad, even for good cause; And to give is good even if there is no heaven.	NV, PS
0223	The mark of the well-born is to give Without uttering the wretched excuse, "I have nothing."	PS, SS
0224	To be begged is agonizing, till you give And see the smiling face of the beggar. *	SM
0225	Strong is the strength of enduring hunger, But stronger still is the strength of relieving it.	NV
0226	Wiping out the hunger of the have-nots, Is the treasury the haves have deposited their wealth. *	SM
0227	That dreaded disease called hunger touches not the one Who shares his food by habit.	NV
0228	Unaware of the joys of giving, The hard-hearted waste their wealth hoarding it. *	SS
0229	To eat alone what one has hoarded Is worse than begging.	PS
0230	Nothing is worse than death; but even death is sweet If one can't help the poor. *	PS

024	Fame	Translators	Notes
0231	No greater income in life than to live with fame That comes out of charity.	NV
0232	The fame of men who give to those in need Will live for ever in the words of all. *	KS
0233	Nothing imperishable lasts long in this world Than glorious fame beyond compare.	NV
0234	Even celestials will cease praising saints When you gain world-wide lasting fame. *	SS, VS
0235	None other than the wise can have Some gain in loss and fame in death.	NV
0236	Be born, if you must, for fame; Or else better not to be born at all.	PS
0237	Why blame those who blame the shame of those Who cannot live in fame? *	SB
0238	The whole world will blame, they say, If you fail to earn that renown called fame.	NV
0239	The land that bears inglorious bodies Will shrink in its glory of yield.	PS, SB
0240	Life without blame alone blooms. The one without fame fades.	NV	Yes

Notes:

240. There are many interesting ways of translating this couplet.

"To live without blame is life; without fame death" - * PS

"They only live who live without blame. And not those who live without fame" – NV

"A life without blame lasts for ever; a life without fame lasts never" - NV.

025	Kindness	Translators	Notes
0241	The wealth of wealth is the wealth of grace. Material wealth, even the mean possess. *	SB, PS
0242	Obtain grace by seeking the path of goodness. That is the aid cited in all paths.	NV
0243	Those who are kind-hearted enter not Into the terrible world of darkness.	NV
0244	Those who protect other life with kindness Need not fear for their own lives.	NV
0245	This great earth and its biosphere declare That sorrows are not for the merciful.	NV
0246	Those who do ill forsaking kindness, they say, Must be oblivious of forsaking morality.	PS, SS
0247	This world is not for the poor, Nor the next for the unkind.	PS
0248	The poor may be rich one day, But the graceless will always lack grace.	PS
0249	The good acts of the graceless, if examined, Resemble the muddled head seeing Truth.	NV, PS	Yes
0250	When you threaten one weaker than yourself, Think of yourself before a bully.	PS

Notes:
249. A good explanatory translation is given by SS. "Practicing charity without compassion is as inconceivable as realizing Truth without clarity of mind".
250. Compare with 894 where Valluvar says “For the weak to challenge the mighty is to summon yama with the hand. (PS, SS)

026	Shunning meat	Translators	Notes
0251	How can one command grace Who eats the flesh of others to swell his own flesh?	NV
0252	No scope for wealth with a spendthrift. So too compassion with a meat eater.	NV
0253	No mercy in the hearts of those armed to kill And those who feast on flesh.	NV	Yes
0254	What is grace? It is not killing; To kill, disgrace. And senseless to eat that meat. *	PS
0255	Abstain from meat to save life. The clenched jaws of hell hold those who don't. *	SS, NV
0256	The world may say: "Meat we eat, but don't kill'. But no one will sell if there is none to buy. *	KS	Yes
0257	Abstain from eating flesh realizing it As the wound of another *	KS
0258	Those visionaries freed of ignorance Will not feed on a flesh freed of its life.	NV
0259	Better than a thousand burnt offerings Is one life un-killed, un-eaten.	PS
0260	All living things will fold their hands And bow to one who refuses to kill or eat meat. *	PS

Notes: 
253. This basically implies that both soldiers armed to kill enemies and hunters armed to kill animals are the same.
256. This couplet seems to have obvious reference to Buddhists who do not kill, but are not required to be vegetarian.

027	Penance	Translators	Notes
0261	The characteristic of penance lies in Enduring hardships and harming no life.	NV	Yes
0262	Penance is for the capable. It is futile for others to attempt it.	PS, NV
0263	Is it to support those who do penance That others have forgotten it?	NV	Yes
0264	In penance lies the power To save friends and foil foes. *	SB
0265	Men do penance in this world For the fulfillment of their desired desires. *	SS
0266	While the austere are engaged in their duties, Others toil in vain ensnared by desire. *	NV, GU
0267	As the intense fire makes gold shine, So does the burning austerities relieve pain.	SS, NV
0268	All souls will worship him who, losing his ego, Gets control of his own soul.	SM
0269	Those who have achieved the strength of penance Could defeat even the Lord of Death.	DZ
0270	The have-nots outnumber the haves Because penance is not for the many.	PS

Notes:
261. Compare with 984: "The characteristic of penance is non-killing, and that of goodness not speaking others' faults" - NV
263. "Supports" include food, clothing and water. "Others" here mean householders.

028	Imposture	Translators	Notes
0271	The five elements will laugh within At a hypocrite's lying conduct.	PS	Yes
0272	What use is a sky-high pose to one Who knowingly does wrong?	PS
0273	A weakling posing a giant form Is an ox grazing in a tiger's skin. *	PS
0274	A posing ascetic who sins secretly Is like a fowler hiding in bush to trap birds. *	KV
0275	The deceitful acts of those claiming dispassion Will make them exclaim in pain, "Alas! Alas!" *	SS
0276	None so cruel as the posing ascetic Who lives by deceit without renouncing by heart. *	NV, PS
0277	Like the kunri - red to view but black on top Are many, ochre-robed but black within.	PS	Yes
0278	Many spotted minds bathe in holy streams And lead a double life.	PS
0279	The lute is bent, the arrow straight: Judge men not by their looks but acts.	PS
0280	No need of tonsure or long hair, If one avoids what the world condemns.	PS

Notes:

211. Five elements [pancha bhuta] are earth, water, fire, air and ether.
277. Konri is the seeds of Abrus precatorius, a tree not uncommon in South India.
279. Compare with 667. “Despise not by looks! Even linchpins hold in place the wheels of mighty chariots!” – PS, NV

029	Avoiding fraud	Translators	Notes
0281	Let him guard against every thought of fraud If he wishes not to be scorned.	VS, SS
0282	Even to harbour in mind The idea of defrauding another's wealth is sin.	MS
0283	Stolen wealth may seem to swell But in the end will burst.	PS
0284	The excessive love for fraudulent gain Leads to everlasting pain. *	KS
0285	Love and grace are alien virtues to one Who plots for innocent's wealth. *	JN
0286	Those who love stealing Can never be content with what they have.	NV
0287	Those gifted with the faculty of contentment Never have that shady skill called fraud.	NV
0288	As virtue in the hearts of the righteous, Deceit dwells in the hearts of thieves. *	SS
0289	Discontented men who know nothing but fraud Perish as and when they corrupt.	NV
0290	Even life abandons him who defrauds others, But heaven never forsakes the honest. *	SS

030	Truthfulness	Translators	Notes
0291	What is truthfulness? It is nothing but utterance Wholly devoid of ill.	VS, PS
0292	Even a lie would take the place of truth, If it brings blameless benefit.	NV, VR
0293	Lie not against your conscience, Lest your own conscience burn you. *	PS
0294	He who lives truly in his own heart, Truly lives in the hearts of all people.	SS
0295	Truthfulness in thought and word Outweighs penance and charity.	PS
0296	Nothing but the fame of truthfulness Can give all other virtues effortlessly. *	PS, SS
0297	If one speaks the truth and only truth, He need not seek other virtues.	DZ	Yes
0298	Water ensures external purity And truthfulness shows the internal.	PS
0299	Not all lights cause illumination; For the wise, Only the light of truth is illuminant.	NV
0300	Amidst all that we have seen as real, There is nothing as good as truthfulness.	DL

Notes:
297. A short crisp translation: "To be unfailingly true is to be unfailing in other virtues" - PS

CR - C. Rajagopalachari	KS - Kasthuri Sreenivasan	SI - K.R. Srinivasa Iyengar
DL -W.H. Drew and J. Lazarus	KV - K. Krishnaswamy & Vijaya Ramkumar	SM -S. Maharajan
DZ - S.M. Diaz	MS - M.S. Poornalingam Pillai	SS - Satguru Subramuniyaswami
EL - F.W. Ellis	NC - Norman Cutler	TD - S. Thandapani Desikar
GU - G.U. Pope	NV - N.V.K. Ashraf	TK - T.K. Chidambaranatha Mudaliar
GV - G. Vanmikanathan	PS - P.S. Sundaram	VC - V.C. Kulandai Swamy
JN - J. Narayanaswamy	SB - Shuddhananda Bharatiar	VR - V. Ramasamy
KK - K. Kannan	SD - S.D. Rajendran	VS - V.V.S. Aiyar
KN - K.N. Subramanyam	SG - G. Siromoney, S. Govindaraju & M. Chandrasekaran,