Chapter 66: Purity of Action

Verse 651
A man is seen surrounded by his friends, giving a silk shawl to honor a villager. Behind him children are playing and abundant wealth has been gathered in acknowledgment of his service. His wife and children are nearby. He has all that he has ever wanted in life by virtue of his good works.

TAKA Presents the Tirukural

You can access the entire text, in Tamil and English here:
Weaver’s Wisdom

Verse 651

Good friendships bring wealth to a man,
but goodness of action fulfills his every wish.

Verse 652

Fame-garnering actions of no real benefit
should always be strictly avoided.

Verse 653

Declaring that their future will be brighter,
men must desist from deeds that darken glory’s light.

Verse 654

However troubled the times, men of imperturbable perception
never commit shameful or sordid deeds.

Verse 655

Do nothing that would make you regret, “What have I done!”
However, if regrettable deeds occur, do not remain regretful.

Verse 656

Though he must behold his own mother’s hunger,
let a man desist from deeds condemned by wise men.

Verse 657

The worst poverty of worthy men is more worthwhile
than the greatest wealth amassed by wrongful means.

Verse 658

Forbidden deeds, however well accomplished, inflict sorrow
on those who seek after rather than shun them.

Verse 659

What is gained by tears will go by tears. Even if it begins
with loss, in the end, goodness gives many good things.

Verse 660

Protecting the country with wrongly garnered wealth
is like preserving water in an unbaked clay pot.

Chapter 65: Eloquence

Verse 643
A man is giving an eloquent discourse in the public plaza. Friends and citizens have gathered to enjoy his speech, for he is known as an eloquent lecturer. Even his enemies, standing behind the curtain, want to know what he has to say.

TAKA Presents the Tirukural

You can access the entire text, in Tamil and English here:
Weaver's Wisdom

Verse 641

Among a man's many good possessions,
none can equal having a good tongue.

Verse 642

Prosperity and ruin issue from the power of the tongue.
Therefore, guard yourself against thoughtless speech.

Verse 643

The substance of artful speech holds friends spell-bound,
and its eloquence enchants even enemies.

Verse 644

Judge the nature of your listeners and speak accordingly.
There is nothing more virtuous or valuable than this.

Verse 645

Speak out your speech after ascertaining that
no speech can be spoken to refute that speech.

Verse 646

To speak so that listeners long to hear more and to listen so that
others' meaning is grasped are ideals of the impeccably great.

Verse 647

In a war of words, none can defeat a persuasive man
who never succumbs to fear or forgetfulness.

Verse 648

Upon finding men whose forceful speech is couched
in cogent and enchanting ways, the world swiftly gathers around.

Verse 649

Unaware of the artful use of a few flawless words,
men become enamored with excessive verbiage.

Verse 650

Men who cannot communicate their knowledge to others
resemble a bouquet of unfragrant flowers in full bloom.

Section VI: Ministers

Chapter 64: Ministers

Verse 637
A minister at his desk is studying various texts which have been translated from different nations of the world. He is interested in how others have dealt with issues that face him today and remains open to the wisdom that he finds from their experience.

TAKA Presents the Tirukural

You can access the entire text, in Tamil and English here:
Weaver's Wisdom

Verse 631

A minister is he who can conceive a great enterprise,
rightly choose the ways, means and time, then carry it out.

Verse 632

Added to the above five, a minister is well-endowed with
steadfastness, learning, perseverance and protection of the people.

Verse 633

He who can divide enemies, bind friends more firmly
and reunite estranged allies is unequivocally a minister.

Verse 634

Call him a minister who comprehends things,
effectively executes them and competently directs others.

Verse 635

The helpful aide understands codes of conduct, discerns what is
fitting in every situation and speaks with learned deliberation.

Verse 636

When shrewd intelligence combines with scholastic study,
who can stand before such peerless subtlety?

Verse 637

Though thoroughly learned in theoretical methods,
one should act only after fathoming the world's proven practices.

Verse 638

The loyal minister's duty is to communicate his counsel,
even if his leader is a dullard who spurns advice.

Verse 639

Better for the king to face 700 million far-off foes
than to retain a single counselor who conspires at his side.

Verse 640

Little matter that they can devise the perfect plan;
those without executive skills never finish their work.

Chapter 63: Being Undaunted by Troubles

Verse 625
A man is confronted with multiple troubles and tribulations. His mother is ill and his wife has fallen and hurt her arms. Behind, the fields are dry and lifeless. He persists despite the many troubles, and for this is blessed by a deva.

TAKA Presents the Tirukural

You can access the entire text, in Tamil and English here:
Weaver's Wisdom

Verse 621

Laugh when troubles come your way.
Nothing conquers calamity better than that.

Verse 622

A tide of troubles will recede the moment
an intelligent man's mind collects itself to face them.

Verse 623

Trouble itself they send away troubled
who do not trouble themselves at the sight of it.

Verse 624

Troubles will feel troubled facing a man who faces them
like the determined bullock that wades through every difficulty.

Verse 625

Though massed upon him like a mountain,
a man's afflictions will be crushed by his undaunted will.

Verse 626

Those who do not clutch their wealth, boasting, "I have so much,"
will not, in poorer times, bemoan, "I have so little."

Verse 627

Knowing this body to be the prey of misery,
high souls, expecting troubles, do not find them troublesome.

Verse 628

Declaring difficulties to be perfectly natural,
those who do not pursue life's pleasures will not suffer its sorrows.

Verse 629

He who does not long for joy in joy
will not suffer sorrow in sorrow.

Verse 630

The man who does not distinguish pain from pleasure
becomes so distinguished that even enemies hope to pay homage.

Chapter 62: Perseverance

Verse 615
An energetic weaver works at his loom, smiling with the joy of working hard to support his family. Behind him his wife is adorned with good clothes and jewelry. She lovingly takes care of her father as the children are studying industriously. The man’s hard work has brought abundance to the family.

TAKA Presents the Tirukural

You can access the entire text, in Tamil and English here:
Weaver's Wisdom

Verse 611

Never say in weakness, "This task is too difficult."
Perseverance will confer the ability to accomplish it.

Verse 612

Beware of leaving any work undone, remembering that the world
abandons those who abandon their work unfinished.

Verse 613

The pride of profuse giving dwells only
with the dignity of diligent effort.

Verse 614

Like the swordsmanship of an effeminate man, the philanthropy
of those who avoid hard work will end in failure.

Verse 615

Standing like a pillar, he who prefers work to pleasure
supports his family and sweeps away their every sad sorrow.

Verse 616

Perseverance generates prosperity,
and the lack of it engenders poverty.

Verse 617

They say the black ogress called Misfortune lurks in laziness,
while Goddess Fortune lingers in the laboring toils of active men.

Verse 618

To be destitute of good fortune is no one's disgrace, but shame
belongs to those devoid of wisdom and tenacity.

Verse 619

Though destiny decrees that one's deeds will fail,
the wages for determined work are always paid.

Verse 620

Those who strive with tireless exertion and remain undaunted
will live to behold the backside of retreating Fate.

Chapter 61: Avoidance of Idleness

Verse 610
A king, having many noble characteristics, goes into the far fields to oversee the harvest in his realm, meets with his military court to strategize and at the bottom stands before God who blesses him.

TAKA Presents the Tirukural

You can access the entire text, in Tamil and English here:
Weaver's Wisdom

Verse 601

The eternal flame of a family vanishes
when eclipsed by that dark cloud called idleness.

Verse 602

Let those who wish their family to be a noble family
call laziness "laziness" and live without it.

Verse 603

The simpleton whose actions are stifled by ruinous indolence
will see his family perish before he dies.

Verse 604

Their families decrease and their vices increase when men,
ensnared in sloth, do not put forth earnest effort.

Verse 605

Procrastination, forgetfulness, sloth and sleep--
these four shape the ship bearing those destined for ruin.

Verse 606

Seldom do languid men achieve anything special,
even when supported by the world's wealthy proprietors.

Verse 607

Idle men, incapable of honorable exertion,
invite scorn and suffer the shame of scolding words.

Verse 608

If languor is allowed to linger in aristocrats,
they will be forced into servitude under foes.

Verse 609

Disgrace that has come upon a man and his family
will disappear the moment he casts out laziness.

Verse 610

A king devoid of indolence will thereby procure all that
cosmic expanse measured by God's immeasurable strides.