TIRUKKURAL, Mysticism, reading, forums, Numerology, Sun Signs, Divination

Posts: 4397 · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:04 pm

1.2.16 The Not Speaking Profitless Words

191
Words without sense, while chafe the wise,
Who babbles, him will all despise.
He who to the disgust of many speaks useless things will be despised by all.

192
Words without sense, where many wise men hear, to pour
Than deeds to friends ungracious done offendeth more.
To speak useless things in the presence of many is a greater evil than to do unkind things towards friends.

193
Diffusive speech of useless words proclaims
A man who never righteous wisdom gains.
That conversation in which a man utters forth useless things will say of him "he is without virtue."

194
Unmeaning, worthless words, said to the multitude,
To none delight afford, and sever men from good.
The words devoid of profit or pleasure which a man speaks will, being inconsistent with virtue, remove him from goodness.

195
Gone are both fame and boasted excellence,
When men of worth speak of words devoid of sense.
If the good speak vain words their eminence and excellence will leave them.

196
Who makes display of idle words' inanity,
Call him not man, -chaff of humanity!
Call not him a man who parades forth his empty words. Call him the chaff of men.

197
Let those who list speak things that no delight afford,
'Tis good for men of worth to speak no idle word.
Let the wise if they will, speak things without excellence; it will be well for them not to speak useless things.

198
The wise who weigh the worth of every utterance,
Speak none but words of deep significance.
The wise who seek after rare pleasures will not speak words that have not much weight in them.

199
The men of vision pure, from wildering folly free,
Not e'en in thoughtless hour, speak words of vanity.
Those wise men who are without faults and are freed from ignorance will not even forgetfully speak things that profit not.

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If speak you will, speak words that fruit afford,
If speak you will, speak never fruitless word.
Speak what is useful, and speak not useless words.

1.2.17 Dread of Evil Deeds

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With sinful act men cease to feel the dread of ill within,
The excellent will dread the wanton pride of cherished sin.
Those who have experience of evil deeds will not fear, but the excellent will fear the pride of sin.

202
Since evils new from evils ever grow,
Evil than fire works out more dreaded woe.
Because evil produces evil, therefore should evil be feared more than fire.

203
Even to those that hate make no return of ill;
So shalt thou wisdom's highest law, 'tis said, fulfil.
To do no evil to enemies will be called the chief of all virtues.

204
Though good thy soul forget, plot not thy neighbour's fall,
Thy plans shall 'virtue's Power' by ruin to thyself forestall.
Even though forgetfulness meditate not the ruin of another. Virtue will meditate the ruin of him who thus meditates.

205
Make not thy poverty a plea for ill;
Thy evil deeds will make thee poorer still.
Commit not evil, saying, "I am poor": if you do, you will become poorer still.

206
What ranks as evil spare to do, if thou would'st shun
Affliction sore through ill to thee by others done.
Let him not do evil to others who desires not that sorrows should pursue him.

207
From every enmity incurred there is to 'scape, a way;
The wrath of evil deeds will dog men's steps, and slay.
However great be the enmity men have incurred they may still live. The enmity of sin will incessantly pursue and kill.

208
Man's shadow dogs his steps where'er he wends;
Destruction thus on sinful deeds attends.
Destruction will dwell at the heels of those who commit evil even as their shadow that leaves them not.

209
Beware, if to thyself thyself is dear,
Lest thou to aught that ranks as ill draw near!
If a man love himself, let him not commit any sin however small.

210
The man, to devious way of sin that never turned aside,
From ruin rests secure, whatever ills betide.
Know ye that he is freed from destruction who commits no evil, going to neither side of the right path.