THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 48 -

VERSION 471 TO 480
 
   ôù¨á÷¨êùª     Assessment  of   strength
   
ô¨éäôù¨±ëª   êäªôù¨±ëª   ëè÷ª÷è䪠  ôù¨±ëª    471
Êéúôù¨±ëª   ­æÐæ¨òР  âòáùª
 
ô¨éäôù¨±ëª       the strength the task calls for
êäªôù¨±ëª           one's own strength
ëè÷ª÷è䪠            of one's competitors
ôù¨±ëª                the strength
Êéúôù¨±ëª       the support each commands
­æÐ樠                   having weighed
âòáùª                  one should engage in performance
 
One   must   weigh   the   strength   the   task   calls   for,   one's   own strength,   the   strength   of   one's   enemies   and   the   strength   of those   who   support   each   side,   before   undertaking   the   task   (471).
   
øùªô   ê÷¨ôÊ   í÷¨åÐêê䪠  æúªê§ªæ¨òР    472
âòùªôèõÐæÐÆòР  âòùªùèêÊ   ¬ùª
 
øùªôÊ                        what one is capable of
í÷¨ôÊ                       to know what one should know
í÷¨åÐÊ                        having known
íê䪠   æúª   ꧪ樠      keeping an eye on that
âòùªôèõÐæÐÆ                for one who is so bent
âòùªùèêÊ    ¬ùª         nothing that one cannot achieve
 
For  one  who  reflects  on   what   is   possible,   and   has   his mind   constantly   on   attaining   it,   there   is   nothing   that   one cannot   accomplish   (472).    
ãéìêÐê몠  ôù¨á÷¨áèõР  ÃæÐæêÐê¨äª   ÃæÐ樠    473
¬éìæÐæúª   Ëõ¨åÐêèõР  çùõÐ
 
ãéìêÐê몠      one's own
ôù¨í÷¨áèõР      not knowing the strength
ÃæÐæêÐê¨äª          out of enthusiasm
ÃæÐ樠                having embarked on a task
¬éìæÐæúª       half-way through
Ëõ¨åÐêèõР          who have broken
çùõР                 are many
 
Many   are   those   who   suffer   defeat,   who   do   not   first   assess their   own   strength   but   embark   on   a   task   out   of   enthusiasm     (473).    
íéëåÐê觪   âæèÇæè䪠  íóô÷¨áè䪠  êäªéä    474
ô¨áåÐêè䪠  ô¨éõåÐÊ   âæÌëª
 
íéëåÐÊ                   in harmony
ͧªÆ                        with others
øÇæè䪠                   does not live
íó²   í÷¨áè䪠      not judging his capability
êäªéä                      oneself
ô¨áåÐêè䪠                 praising
ô¨éõåÐÊ    âæÌ몠      will soon suffer defeat
 
He   who   does   not   seek   to   live   in   harmony   with   others, but   vainly   overestimates   himself,   will   soon   suffer   defeat   (474).
   
ç©ù¨âç᪠  òèæèÌ몠  íòÐò¨×몠  íçªçúªì¢ª    475
òèù   ë¨ÆêÐÊ窠  âçá¨äª
 
ç©ù¨âç᪠            (laden with) peacock feathers
òèæèÌ몠             even the hand cart
íòÐà    ¬×몠      the axle will break
íçªçúªì몠        that article
òèù    ë¨ÆêÐÊ       excessively
âçá¨äª                loaded on to (the cart)
 
Even   an   excessive   load   of   peacock   feathers   can   break the   axle   of   a   cart   (475).    
Åä¨æÐâæèëªçõР  Ö÷¨äèõР  íþê¨÷åР  ­æÐæ¨äª     476
ãá¨õÐæ¨×ꨠ  áè樠  ô¨Ìëª
 
Ö÷¨äèõР                        he who climbs
íþÊ   ¬÷åÐÊ               beyond the capacity of the branch to bear
ÃæÐæ¨äª                          if one tries to climb further
ãá¨õÐæÐÆ                         to life
¬×ꨠ   Í樠  ô¨Ì몠      (it will) put an end
 
He   who   attempts   to   climb   beyond   the   end   of   a   tree   branch   will
surely   come   to   an   end   (476).
   
Í÷ª÷¨äª   íóô÷¨åÐÊ   ¼æ   íÊâçèÕóª     477
îçè÷ª÷¨   ôȧªÆ몠  âå÷¨
 
Í÷ª÷¨äª                       while giving
íó²   í÷¨åÐÊ           fully judging one's capacity
¼æ                              one should give
íÊ                            that alone
âçèÕóª    îçè÷ª÷¨       protecting one's wealth
ôȧªÆ몠   âå÷¨          the method of living in the right path
 
He   who   uses   his   wealth   for   charity   with   discrimination is   the   right   way   to   use   wealth   (477).  
Íæè×   íóô¨ìªï   êèá¨Ä§ª   îæïùªéù     478
îçèæè×   íæùèæР  æéì
 
ÍÆ   Í×                    the method of earning wealth
íó²                          in volume
¬ìªïÊ    Íá¨Ä몠      even if small
îæÌ   ¬ùªéù             it does not matter
îçèÆ    Í×                 the manner of spending
íæùèæÐæéì               is not in excess of income
 
It   does   not   matter   if   there   is   expenditure   as   long   as   it  is   not   greater   than   the   income   (478).
   
íóô÷¨åÐÊ   ôèÈèêè䪠  ôèȪæÐéæ   ãóîçèù    479
¬ùªùèæ¨êР  îêèäª÷èæР  âæÌëª
 
íó²   í÷¨åÐÊ         knowing the limits of one's income
ôèÈèêè䪠               one who does not live so
ôèȪæÐéæ                  (his) life
ãóîçèù                  appear to `have' wealth
¬ùª   Í樠                then becoming a zero
îêèäª÷èæÐâæÌ몠      will soon vanish
 
Living   beyond   one's   means   will   give   the   illusion   of  being   wealthy,   but   that   wealth   will   soon   vanish   (479).    
ãóôéõ   ­æÐæèê   ø窵õ   ôèúªéë    480
ôóôéõ   ôùªéùæР  âæÌëª
 
ãóôéõ                     the extent of one's wealth
­æÐæèê                       without estimating
ø窵õ²    Íúªéë       engaging in charity
ôóôéõ                      the extent of wealth
ôùªéù                       will soon
âæÌ몠                       end in ruin
 
Whoever   engages   in   charity     without   an   eye   on   his   resources, will   soon   end   in   ruin   (480).
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