THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 18

VERSES 171 TO 180

                                                        
âôþæèéë     Covetuousness
 

                                                                
åÌô¨äª÷¨ åäªâçèÕóª âôþæ¨äª Æïâçèäª÷¨æÐ 171 
Æ÷ª÷Ë몠  ͧªîæ   êÕëª

åÌô¨äª÷¨       unfairly
åäªâçèÕóª       anothers property
âôþæ¨äª       covets
Æïâçèäª÷¨æР      ruins
Æ÷ª÷Ë몠      blame
ͧªîæ       at that very moment
êÕ몠      incur
 
He   who   unfairly   covets   another's   property   will   at   that   very 
 moment
ruin   his   home   and   incur   blame.    

çÌçá䪠  âôþæ¨çª   çȨçªçÌô   âòáªáèõР  172
åÌôäªéë   åèÑ   çôõÐ
 
çÌçá䪠                       knowing the gains of desire
âôþ樠                         willingly
çȨçªçÌô                     sinful acts
âòáªáèõР                       will not commit
åÌôäªéë                     injustice
åèÑ     çôõР                  those who shy away from
 
Those   who   shy   away   from   injustice   will   not   commit   acts
of   covetousness.    

ò¨÷ª÷¨äªç몠  âôþ樠  í÷äùªù   âòáªáèîõ    173
ë÷ª÷¨äªç몠  îôúªÌ   çôõÐ

 ò¨÷ª÷¨äªç몠           smaller pleasures
âôþ樠                desire
í÷äùªù             wrongful deeds
âòáªáèîõ            will not do
ë÷ª÷¨äªç몠           higher bliss
îôúªÌ     çôõР    desire
 
Those   who   desire   higher   bliss   will   not   do   wrongful   deeds
for   smaller   pleasures.    

¬ùâëäª× âôþÆêùª âòáªáèõÐ µùëªâôäª÷ 174
µäªéëá¨ùª   æèìªò¨   áôõÐ
 
¬ùâëäª×              during poverty
âôþÆêùª                  covet the wealth of others
âòáªáèõР                     will not
µùëªâôäª÷              conquered the five senses
µäªéëá¨ùª                blameless
æèìªò¨     áôõР             wise people
 
The   wise   and   the   sensible,   even   nearing   destitution   will   not
covet   the   wealth   of   another.    

íþ樠  íæäª÷   í÷¨âôäªäè몠  áèõÐëèìªÌ몠   175
âôþ樠  âô÷¨á   âòá¨äª
 
íþ樠                           extensive
íæäª÷                          learning from books
í÷¨²                            knowledge
öäªäè몠                       of what use
áèõÐëèìªÌ몠                 towards others
âôþ樠                          for the wealth of others
âô÷¨á                           foolish
âòá¨äª                           acts
 
Of   what   use   is   extensive   knowledge   if   covetousness   leads
the   learned   to   commit   foolish   acts.    

íÕóªâôþ樠  Í÷ª÷¨äªæúª   å¨äª÷è䪠  âçèÕóªâôþæ¨çª   176
âçèùªùèê   ÎÈæР  âæÌëª
 
íÕóªâôþ樠               desires grace
Í÷ª÷¨äªæúª                  virtuous path
å¨äª÷è䪠                     stays on
âçèÕóªâôþæ¨çª         for the wealth of others
âçèùªùèê                   committing wrong
ÎÈ                              considers
âæÌ몠                        will perish
 
He   who   desires   to   stay   on   the   virtuous   path , will   perish even
if   he   considers   committing   wrong   for   the   wealth   of   others.    

îôúªì÷ªæ âôþæ¨áèëª ÍæÐæëª ô¨éóôá¨äª   177
ëèúªì÷ª   æõ¨êè몠  çáäª
îôúªì÷ªæ                shun
âôþ樠                    coveting anothers
Í몠                         that comes from
ÍæÐæ몠                     the wealth
ô¨éóôá¨äª              yield
ëèúªì÷ªÆ                well-being
íõ¨êè몠                   does not
çá䪠                       for it
 
Shun   the   wealth   that   comes   from   coveting   another's   for   it
does   not   yield   well-being.    

íþæèéë   âòùªôêÐê¨÷ªÆ   áèâêä¨äª178
âôþæèéë  îôúªÌ몠  ç¨÷äªéæ窠  âçèÕóª
íþæèéë                         way to undiminished
âòùªôêÐê¨÷ªÆ                     wealth
áèâêä¨äª                         is
âôþæèéë     îôúªÌ몠    to not covet
ç¨÷äªéæ窠    âçèÕóª         the wealth of others
 
Way   to   undiminished   wealth   lies   in   not   coveting   the   wealth   of   others.    

í÷ä÷¨åÐÊ âôþæè í÷¨²éìáèõÐòÐ îòÕ몠 179
ê¨÷äªí÷¨åР  ê觪îæ   ê¨Õ
 
í÷ä÷¨åÐÊ                    the virtues
âôþæè                        of not coveting
í÷¨²éìáèõР              the learned
îòÕ몠                          will come
ê¨÷äªí÷¨åÐÊ                 knowing
ͧªîæ                         them
ê¨Õ                              fortune
 
Fortune   will   come   to   the   learned   knowing   the   virtues   of
not   coveting   the   wealth   of   others.    

¬÷ùª¼Äëª öúªúèÊ âôþæ¨äª ô¨÷ùª¼Ä몠 180 
îôúªìèéë   öäªÄ¢ª   âòÕæÐÆ

¬÷ùª¼Ä몠     will bring ruin
öúªúèÊ       unthinkingly
âôþæ¨äª       covets the wealth of others
ô¨÷ùª¼Ä몠     will give victory
îôúªìèéë       desirelessness
öäªÄ¢ª   âòÕæÐÆ    always acclaimed
 
Desirelessness   will   always   give  victorious acclaim  whereas
unthinkingly   coveting   the   wealth   of   others   will   bring   ruin.    

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