THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 19

VERSES 180 TO 190

                                                         
      
µ÷§ªÔ÷èéë       -     Slander
   
í÷§ªÔ÷è䪠  íùªù   âòá¨Ä몠  øÕô䪠 181
µ÷§ªÔ÷è䪠  öäª÷ùª   ¬ä¨Ê
 
øÕô䪠   í÷§ªÔ÷èäª    one may not speak of virtue
íùªù      sins
âòá¨Ä몠         may committ
µ÷§ªÔ÷è䪠     backbite
öäª÷ùª       known not to
¬ä¨Ê        is praiseworthy
 
He   who   is   known   not   to   backbite   even   though   he   may   not  
speak   of   virtue   and   may   commit sins   is   praiseworthy.    

í÷äÈ©¬   íùªùéô   âòáªêù¨äª   ê©îê    182
µ÷äÈ©¬çª   âçèáªêÐÊ   åéæ

 
í÷äÈ©¬      destruction of virtue
íùªùéô  âòáªêù¨äª   any other sin
ê©îê       greater sin
µ÷äÈ©¬      backbites
âçèáªêÐÊ    åéæ       affecting friendliness
 
He   who   affecting   friendliness,   backbites,   is   considered   to   have 
 committed   a   greater   sin than   any   sin   or   destruction   of   virtue.      

µ÷§ªÔ÷¨çª   âçèáªêÐÊá¨õР  ôèȪêù¨äª   òèêùª    183
í÷§ªÔ×몠  ÍæÐæ몠  êÕëª

 
µ÷§ªÔ÷¨     who slanders
âçèáªêÐÊ      falsely praises
ãá¨õР   ôèȪêù¨äª than live
òèêùª  better to die
í÷§ªÔ×몠  scriptures say
ÍæÐæ몠   êÕ몠 for one's own good
 
The   scriptures   say   it   is   better     to   die   than   betray   for   one's   own   good.      

æúªå¨äª×   æúªú÷òР  âòèùªù¨Ä몠  âòèùªù÷ªæ    184
Ë䪬äª×   ç¨äªîåèæÐæèòР  âòèùª

 
æúªå¨äª×                      when present
æúªú÷                        without kindness
âòèùªù¨Ä몠                utter words
âòèùªù÷ªæ                   not to utter
Ë䪬äª×                   when absent
ç¨äªîåèæÐæè                unthinking of the consequences
âòèùª                           words
 
Speaking   words   of   cruelty   in   one's   presence   is   better   than  
words   uttered   in   absence unthinking   of   the   consequences.      

í÷¢ªâòèùªÙ몠  â墪òêÐêè䪠  íäªéë   µ÷¢ªâòèùªÙ몠    185
µäªéëáè÷ª   æèú窠  çÌëª

 
í÷¢ªâòèùªÙ몠           virtue is good
â墪òêÐêè䪠                He who claims
íäªéë                        lack of virtue
µ÷¢ªâòèùªÙ몠           and slanderous
µäªéëáè÷ª                 mean
æèú窠    çÌ몠             is easily seen
 
The   lack   of   virtue   in   a   person   is   easily   seen   from   his   mean
 and   slanderous   nature   despite   his   claims on   the   goodness   of   virtue.      

ç¨÷äªçȨ   Ô×ôè䪠  êäªçȨ   ±óªÓ몠       186
ê¨÷äªâêõ¨åÐÊ   Ô÷窠  çÌëª

 
ç¨÷䪠                               of other's
çȨ   Ô×ôè䪠                 revels in sins
ê䪠  çȨ±óªÓ몠              and sins
ê¨÷䪠                               about the character
âêõ¨åÐÊ                             people will understand
Ô÷窠    çÌ몠                    and talk
 
People   will   understand   and   talk   about   the   character   and   sins 
of   one   who   revels   in   other's   sins.        

çæòÐâòèùªù¨æР  îæó¨õÐ窠  ç¨õ¨çªçõР  åæòÐâòèùªù¨      187
åìªçèìùª   îê÷ª÷è   êôõÐ

 
çæòÐâòèùªù¨                    backbite
îæó¨õР                             even close friends
ç¨õ¨çªçõР                          will separate
åæòÐâòèùªù¨                    friendly and humorous
åìªçèìùª                        friendship
îê÷ª÷è     êôõР                  do not realise
 
Not   realising   the   worth   of   friendship   ,lacking   in   humour   , 
and   who   also   backbite   remain separated   from   even   their   circle
 of   close   friends.
       
Êäªä¨áèõР  Æ÷ª÷Ë몠  ­÷ª×몠  ëõç¨äèõР    188
öäªéäòÐâæèùª   Öê¨ùèõР  ëèìªÌ

 
Êäªä¨áèõР                       close friends
Æ÷ª÷Ë몠                          faults
­÷ª×몠    ëõç¨äèõР              gossip
öäªéäòÐâæèùª                 what will be
Öê¨ùèõР   ëèìªÌ  said about strangers
 
What   can   one   expect   for   strangers   from   those   who   gossip  
about   the   faults   of even   their   close   friends.      

í÷äªîåèæÐ樠  Í÷ª×§ªâæèùª   éôá몠  µ÷äªîåèææÐæ¨çª    189
µäªâòèùª   ãéõçªçè䪠  âçèé÷

í÷äªîåèæÐ樠                    thinking it charity
Í÷ª×§ªâæèùª                    bears the support
éôá몠 mother earth
µ÷äªîåèææÐ樠                   in the absence
µäªâòèùª                           cruel words
ãéõçªçè䪠                       he who says
âçèé÷                            the body weight
 
Is   it   charity   that   makes   the   mother   earth   bear   the   weight  
of   those   who   carry   slanderous tales   ?     

Öê¨ùèõР  Æ÷ª÷ëªîçèùª   ꧪÆ÷ª÷§ª   æèúªæ¨÷ªç¨äª      190
ê©Êúªîìè   ëäªÄ몠  ãá¨õÐæÐÆ  

 
Öê¨ùèõР                           other's
Æ÷ª÷ëªîçèùª                      observes faults
ꧪÆ÷ª÷§ª                          one's own faults
æèúªæ¨÷ªç¨äª                      ability to see
ê©Êúªîìè                         will any harm come
ëäªÄ몠  ãá¨õÐæÐÆ to one's life
 
Will   any   harm   come   to   one   who   observes   his   own   faults  
as   he   does   of   other's   ?

PROCEED TO KURAL - SECTION- 20  
RETURN TO INDEX OF KURAL PRESENTATION