THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 87 -

VERSES 861 TO 870

çéæ   ëèìªò¨     Dealing   with   the   Enemy
 
ôù¨áèõÐæÐÆ   ëè×Ö÷ª÷ùª   Ø몵栠 Øëªçè               861
âëù¨áèõÐîëùª   îëæ   çéæ
 
ôù¨áèõÐæÐÆ         stronger than oneself
ëè×Ö÷ª÷ùª         to entertain hatred
Ø몵栠       give up
Øëªçè           do not give up (hesitate)
âëù¨áèõР        the weak
îëùª         towards
îëæ       to entertain
çéæ         enmity
   
It   is   wise   not   to   foster   enmity   with   the   powerful,   while
not   hesitating   to   strike   when   the   enemy   is   weak   (861).    
íäªç¨ù䪠  Íäª÷   Êéúá¨ù䪠  êèäªÊôªôè䪠  862
öäªçõ¨±ëª   Öê¨ùè䪠  Ê窵
 
íäªç¨ù䪠        no supporting kin
Íäª÷       strong
Êéú       help from allies
¬ù䪠        without
êè䪠        is himself
Êôªôè䪠        powerless
ö䪠        how
çõ¨±ëª         overcome
Öê¨ùè䪠        of the enemy
Ê窵         strength
 
How   can   one   with   no   supporting   kin   or   strong   allies
ever   overcome   a   strong   enemy   ?   (862)

 
í¢ªà몠  í÷¨áè䪠  íéëô¨ù䪠  ¼æùè䪠      863
ꢪò몠  öó¨á䪠  çéææÐÆ
   
í¢ªà몠        one without courage
í÷¨áè䪠        one wihtout knowledge
íéë²    ¬ù䪠        one with no goodwill
¼æùè䪠        one who is not generous
ꢪò몠        will be the target
öó¨á䪠        easily
çéææÐÆ         to the enemy

One   without   courage,   goodwill   and   generosity   will   be
an   easy   target   for   the   enemy   (863).  
婧ªæè䪠  âôÆó¨   å¨é÷á¨ù䪠  ö¢ª¢èäª×몠    864
á觪æÑ몠  áèõÐæÐÆ몠  öó¨Ê
 
婧ªæè䪠        one who does not eschew
âôÆó¨         anger
å¨é÷á¨ù䪠        (and if) not of a steady mind
ö¢ª¢èäª×몠        on any day (he is)
á觪æÑ몠        at any place
áèõÐæÐÆ몠        to anyone
öó¨Ê         an easy prey
 
The   ill-tempered   person   without   good   qualities
is   an   easy   prey   for   the   enemy   (864).
 
ôȨîåèæÐæè䪠  ôèáªçªçä âòáªáèäª çȨîåèæÐæè䪠  865
çúªç¨ù䪠  ç÷ª÷èõÐæÐÆ   ¬ä¨Ê
 
ôȨîåèæÐæè䪠        one not proficient in the learned books
ôèáªçªçä         as prescribed
âòáªáè䪠        one who will not perform
çȨîåèæÐæè䪠        one who is not afraid of blame
çúªµ       virtue
¬ù䪠        one without
ç÷ª÷èõÐæÐÆ       to the enemy
¬ä¨Ê       is a welcome entity

He   who   is without   virtue, who   ignores   learning   and   its   lessons, and   fails   to   consider   consequences   is   sweet   prey   to   the   enemy   (865).  
æèúèòР  ò¨äêÐêè䪠  æȨâçÕ§ª   æèëêÐêè䪠      866
îçúèéë   îçú窠  çÌëª
 
æèúè         meaningless
ò¨äêÐêè䪠        anger (one with)
æȨâçÕ몠        excessive (one with)
æèëêÐêè䪠        lust
îçúèéë           the enmity of such a person
îçú窠   çÌ몠        will be welcomed (by the enemy)
 
The   enmity   of   one   given   to   anger   and   lust   is   to
be   welcomed   (by   the   enemy)   (866).  
âæèÌêÐÊ몠  âæèóùªîôúªÌëª ëäª÷   íÌêÐê¨ÕåÐÊ   867
ëèúèê   âòáªôè䪠  çéæ
 
âæèÌêÐÊ몠        even with some investment
âæèóùªîôúªÌ몠        one should take on
ëäª÷         certainly
íÌêÐê¨ÕåÐÊ         with being close at hand
ëèúèê         doing harm
âòáªôè䪠        one who does so
çéæ         (earn his) enmity
   
One   may   readily   invest   in   taking   on   a   person   as   an   enemy   who,
being   near   at   hand,   causes   harm     (867).  
Æú䪠  ¬ùäèáªæР  Æ÷ª÷몠  çùôèá¨äª   ëè÷ª÷èõÐæÐÆ   868
¬ä䪬ùäè몠  Öëè窵   ãéìêÐÊ
 
Æú䪠        good character
¬ùäè᪠        without
Æ÷ª÷몠        failings
çù       many
Íá¨äª       if with
ëè÷ª÷èõÐæÐÆ         to the enemy
¬ä䪠        support
¬ù䪠      without
Í몠        is
Öëè窵         easy prey
ãéìêÐÊ         (he) becomes
   
He   who   is   without   virtue   but   with   plenty   of   failings,   will
be   an   easy   prey   to   the   enemy   (868).  
âò×ôèõÐæÐÆòР  îòú¨æôè   ¬äªç몠  í÷¨ô¨ùè     869
í¢ªà몠  çéæôõÐ窠  âç÷¨äª
 
âò×ôèõÐæÐÆ         one who conquers
îòúª       exceeding
¬æôè         longlasting (will give)
¬äªç몠        happiness
í÷¨²    ¬ùè       one without learning
í¢ªà몠        one who is a coward
çéæôõР      an enemy
âç÷¨äª       if one encounters

It   will   bring   lasting   joy   to   a   person   to   deal   with   an   enemy
who   is   both   a   fool   and   a   coward   (869).

æùªùè䪠  âôÆÓ몠  ò¨×âçèÕóª   ö¢ª¢èäª×몠    870
øùªùèéä   øùªùèÊ   øó¨
 
æùªùè䪠        the ignorant
âôÆÓ몠      to be hostile to
ò¨×âçèÕóª         even a little wealth
ö¢ª¢èäª×몠      on any day
øùªùèéä         one who does not acquire
øùªùèÊ       will never attain
øó¨         glory
 
No   glory   or   gain   can   ever   come   to   one   who   cannot
overcome   an   ignorant   foe   (870).
   


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