THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 15

VERSES 141 TO 150

ç¨÷ä¨ùª   ô¨éÈáèéë      Not Coveting Another's Wife

   
ç¨÷äªâçèÕóè䪠  âçìªâìèÇÆëª îçéêéë   ¢èùêÐÊ       141
í÷ëªâçèÕóª   æúªìèõÐæúª   ¬ùª
 
ç¨÷äªâçèÕóèäª     another's rightful wife
âçìªÌ desiring
øÇÆëª    behave
îçéêéë    foolishness
¢èùêÐÊ    in the world
í÷ëª    virtue
âçèÕóª    property
æúªìèõÐæúª    understood and realised
¬ùª    will not
   
Those   who   have   understood   and   realised   the   values   of   virtue
and property   will   not   behave   foolishly     desiring   another's   wife  
 
í÷äªæéìå¨äª÷èÕóª öùªùèëª ç¨÷äªæéì   142
å¨äª÷èõ¨äª   îçéêáèõР  ¬ùª
 
í÷äªæéì    in sin
å¨äª÷èÕóª    öùªùèëª    among those who stand
ç¨÷äªæéì    desiring the neighbour's wife
å¨äª÷èõ¨äª    those who wait
îçéêáèõР    as foolish as
¬ùª    there is no one
   
There   is   no   greater   fool   among   sinners   than   the   one   who   waits
outside   his   neighbour's   house   desirous   of  the latter's   wife.    

ô¨ó¨êÐêèõ¨äª îô÷ùªùõÐ ëäª÷ âêó¨åÐêèõ¨ùª 143
ê©éë   µõ¨åÐÊøÇÆ   ôèõÐ
 
ô¨ó¨êÐêèõ¨äª                  dead man
îô÷ùªùõР                     no different from
ëäª÷                             trusting
âêó¨åÐêèõР                    friend's
¬ùª                              wife
ê©éë     µõ¨åÐÊ                badly
øÇÆ     ôèõР                 behave
   
Those   who   misbehave   with   a   trusting   friend's   wife   are
better  dead  than  alive.  

öéäêÐÊéúáõР  Íá¨Ä몠  öäªäè몠  ê¨éäêÐÊéú±ëª  144
îêõè䪠  ç¨÷ä¨ùª   µæùª
 
öéäêÐÊéúáõÐ    however great
Íá¨Äëª    one may be
öäªäèëª    of what use
ê¨éäêÐÊéú±ëª    the smallest grain
îêõèäª    does not feel guilt of
ç¨÷ä¨ùª    another's wife
µæùª    desiring
   
 Of   what   use   is   one's   greatness   if   he   does   not   feel   the
smallest grain   of   guilt   at   desiring   another's   wife.  

öó¨âêä ¬ùªù¨÷çªçèäª öáªÊâ뢪 ¢èäª×ë 145
ô¨ó¨áèÊ   å¨÷ªÆ몠  çȨ
 
öó¨âêä    easily
¬ùª    another's wife
¬÷çªçèäª    moves with
öáªÊëª    bear
ö¢ª   ¢èäª×ëª    always
ô¨ó¨áèÊ;    irremovable
å¨÷ªÆëª    will remain
çȨ    blame
   
He   who   goes   after   another's   wife   lightly   will   always   bear
irremovable   blame   .  

çéæçèô몠  íòÐò몠  çȨâáä   åèäªÆ몠 146
¬æôèôè몠  ¬ùªù¨÷çªçè䪠  æúª

çéæ    hatred
çèôëª    sin
íòÐòëª    fear
çȨ    disgrace
öä   åèäªÆëª    the four
¬æôèôèëª    will never leave
¬ùª    another's wife
¬÷çªçè䪠   æúª    who goes after
   
  Hatred,   sin,   fear,   disgrace;   these   four   will   never   leave
  him   who   goes  after   his   neighbour's   wife.    

í÷ä¨áùè䪠  ¬ùªôèȪôè䪠  öäªçè䪠  ç¨÷ä¨áùè䪠  147
âçúªéë   åáôè   êôäª
 
í÷ä   ¬áùèäª    virtuous
¬ùªôèȪôèäª    house-holder
öäªçèäª    is
ç¨÷ä¨áùèäª    another's wife
âçúªéë    comeliness
åáôè     êôäª    does not desire
 
He,   who   does   not   desire   the   comeliness   of   another's   wife
is   a   virtuous   house-holder.  

ç¨÷äªëéä   îåèæÐæèê   îçõèúªéë   òèäªî÷èõÐæÐÆ  148
í÷âäèäªî÷è   Íäª÷   øÇæÐÆ
 
ç¨÷äªëéä              another's wife
îåèæÐæèê                does not look
îçõèúªéë             manliness
òèäªî÷èõÐæÐÆ          by the respected
í÷ä   øäªî÷è        the highest virtue
Íäª÷     øÇæÐÆ       highest rectitude
 
That   manliness   that   looks   not   at   another's   wife   is   regarded   by
the   respected   as of  the   highest   virtue   and   rectitude.
   
åùæÐÆõ¨áèõÐ áèâõä¨äª åèëå©õÐ éôçªç¨äª  149
ç¨÷÷ªÆõ¨áèóª   îêèóªîêèáè   êèõÐ
 
åùæÐÆõ¨áèõР                     deserving
áèâõä¨äª                        is he
åèëå©õР    éôçªç¨äª           life's fearful ocean
ç¨÷÷ªÆõ¨áèóª                    another's wife
îêèóª                               support
îêèáè     êèõР                   does not seek
 
He   is   deserving   who, when   sinking   in   life's   fearful  ocean,   seeks
not   support   in   another's   wife.  

í÷äªôéõáè䪠  íùªù   âòá¨Ä몠  ç¨÷äªôéõáèóª  150
âçúªéë   åáôèéë   åäª×
í÷䪠                             path of virtue
ôéõáè䪠                       may not pursue
íùªù                             sinful deeds
âòá¨Ä몠                       commit
ç¨÷äªôéõáèóª               another's wife's
âçúªéë                        womanhood
åáôèéë     åäª×            well not to covet
 
It   is   well   not   to   covet   another's   wife   even   for   one   who
may   be   sinful   or   may   not   pursue   the   path   of   virtue.  


PROCEED TO KURAL - SECTION- 16
RETURN TO INDEX OF KURAL PRESENTATION