THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 49 -

VERSION 481 TO 490
 
æèù몠  í÷¨êùª     The   right   timing
   
çæùªâôùªÙ몠  Ôéæéá   æèæÐéæ   ¬æùªâôùªÙ몠   481
îôåÐêõÐæÐÆ   îôúªÌ몠  âçèÇÊ
 
çæùª                               during the day
âôùªÙ몠                       will overcome
Ôéæéá                         the (stronger) owl
æèæÐéæ                           the crow
¬æùª    âôùªÙ몠           who tries to ovecome the enemy
îôåÐêõÐæÐÆ                      the king
îôúªÌ몠   âçèÇÊ       should choose the right time
 
Even   as   the   crow   can   overcome   the   stronger   owl   during   day   time,  the   king   can   overcome   his   enemy   by   choosing   the   right   time   (481).    
çÕôêÐîêèÌ   øìªì   øÇæùª   ê¨Õô¨éäêР   482
ê©õèéë   ÍõÐæÐÆ몠  æá¨×
 
çÕôêÐîêèÌ       right time
øìªì                  choice of
øÇæùª               performance
ê¨Õô¨éä           prosperity
ê©õèéë              not leave one
ÍõÐæÐÆ몠           that binds
æá¨×                 the rope
 
Choice   of   the   right   time   is   the   rope   that   binds   prosperity  to   the   doer   (482).  
íÕô¨éä   öäªç   ãóîôè   æÕô¨áè䪠   483
æèù몠  í÷¨åÐÊ   âòá¨äª
 
íÕô¨éä       the impossible tasks
öäªç               known as
ãóîôè           are there ?
æÕô¨áè䪠      with the right means
æèù몠            at the right time
í÷¨åÐÊ            after due consideration
âòá¨äª            if performed
 
Is   any   task   impossible   (of   achievement)   if   done   with   the   right  means   and   at   the   right   time   ?   (483)    
¢èù몠  æÕê¨Ä몠  éæÔÌ몠  æèù몠   484
æÕꨠ  ¬ìêÐêèõР  âòá¨äª
 
¢èù몠                the entire world
æÕê¨Ä몠            even if one desires to win
éæÔÌ몠             it is possible
æèù몠   æÕꨠ       choosing the right time
¬ìêÐêèõР            and the right place
âòá¨äª                if one cares to do
 
He   can   conquer   the   world   who   knows   how   to   choose   the right   time   and   place   for   his   actions   (484).

 
æèù몠  æÕꨠ  ¬ÕçªçõР  æù§ªæèÊ     485
¢èù몠  æÕÊ   çôõÐ
 
æèù몠                    the right time
æÕꨠ   ¬ÕçªçõР      will await
æù§ªæèÊ                without fail
¢èù몠                  the world
æÕÊçôõР               those desiring to conquer
 
He   will   conquer   the   world   who   waits     for   the   right   time to   strike   (485).    
ÃæÐæ   Ëéìáè䪠  øÌæÐæ몠  âçèÕêæõР     486
êèæÐæ÷ªÆ窠  îçÕåР  êéæêÐÊ
 
ÃæÐæ몠                    strength
ãéìáè䪠               the one who possesses
øÌæÐæ몠                   waiting for the right moment
âçèÕêæõР                the ram (used for ram fight)
êèæÐæ÷ªÆ                   before charging
îçÕ몠   êéæêÐÊ       that steps back
 
He   who   pauses   to   collect   himself,   is   like   the   ram   that  steps   back   before   charging   (486).    
âçèóªâóä   ͧªîæ   µ÷ëªîôõèõР  æèùëªçèõÐêÐÊ    487
ãóªîôõÐçªçõР  øóªó¨   áôõÐ
 
âçèóªöä                to strike suddenly
ͧªîæ                     there itself
µ÷ëªîôõèõР           will not exhibit their anger
æèù몠   çèõÐêÐÊ       waiting for the appropriate time
ãóª   îôõÐçªçõР       have anger seething within
øóªó¨áôõР             the wise
 
The   wise   never   show   their   anger   at   once,   but   always   wait  for   the   right   time   (487).    
âò×åéõæР  æèú¨äª   àëæÐæ   ¬×ôéõ    488
æèú¨äª   æ¨ÈæÐæè몠  êéù
 
âò×åéõ           the enemy
æèú¨äª              on meeting
àëæÐæ                 be submissive
¬×ôéõ            his end
æèú¨äª               when in sight
æ¨ÈæÐÆ    Í몠      will fall
êéù                   his head
 
One   should   bide   his   time   when   dealing   with   an   enemy.   When   the   right time   comes,   he   will   himself   submit   to   you   (488).    
öáªê÷ª   æõ¨áÊ   ¬éáåÐêæÐæèùª   íåÐå¨éùîá    489
âòáªê÷ª   æõ¨á   âòáùª
 
öáªê÷ªÆ                     to achieve
íõ¨áÊ                       rare
¬éáåÐêæÐæèùª           if obtained
íåÐå¨éùîá              then and there
âòáªê÷ªÆ    íõ¨á       what one has been wanting to do
âòáùª                       should be done
 
When   a   rare   opportunity   comes,   it   must   be   utilised  before   it   passes   (489).    
âæèæÐâæèæÐæ   Ô몵몠  çÕôêÐÊ   ë÷ª÷ê䪠     490
ÆêÐÊ   øæÐæ   ò©õÐêÐê   ¬ìêÐÊ
 
âæèæÐÆ    øæÐæ             (behave) like the stork
Ô몵몠   çÕôêÐÊ       during the time of restraint
ë÷ª×    íê䪠             that stork
ÆêÐÊ    øæÐæ                should strike like
ò©õÐêÐê                         when the right time
¬ìêÐÊ                      comes
 
One   must   remain   calm   and   wait   for   the   right   time   to   strike  like   the   stork   that   calmly   waits   (for   its   prey)   and   strikes  surely   when   the   right   time   comes   (490).

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