Following is the translation of Thirukkural, a discourse on ethics, its author is Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar, who lived around 3rd Century. Its translation is done by Mr. NV Subbaraman, he lives in Chennai.
Chapter 53
Cherishing kith and kin.
அதிகாரம் 53
சுற்றம் தழால்
~*~
Original
பற்றற்ற கண்ணும் பழைமைபா ராட்டுதல்
சுற்றத்தார் கண்ணே உள.
Pronunciation
Patratra kaNNum pazaimaipaaraattudhal
Sutraththaar kaNNae uLa.
Translation
Though fortune goes off
Men who value old friendship
Love, never leaves off.
Comment
Good relationship maintains the old friendship and speaks with love even if one’s fortune is gone and is in dire poverty.
~*~
Original
விறுப்புஅறாச் சுற்றம் இயையின், அருப்புஅறா
ஆக்கம் பலவும் தரும்.
Pronunciation
Viruppuaraach chutram iyaiyin aruppu araa
AAkam palavum tharum.
Translation
Kinship full of love
Gets them all wealth on the earth
Never withers great.
Comment
When one gets a kinship with love that never fades, brings him all the wealth on earth.
~*~
Original
அளவளாவு இல்லாதான் வாழ்க்கை குளவளாக்
கோடுஇன்றி நீர்நிறைந் தற்று.
Pronunciation
ALavaLaavu illaadhaan vaazkkai kuLavaLaak
Koadu inri neerniraindh thatru.
Translation
Kinless wealth a tank
That overflows sans control
As if has no bank.
Comment
One’s life not interested in loving and respecting kinship, is like a tank without bank on any side where water simply drains without any control.
~*~
Original
சுற்றத்தால் சுற்றப் படஒழுகல் செல்வம்தான்
பெற்றத்தால் பெற்ற பயன்.
Pronunciation
Sutraththaal sutrap padaozugal selvamthaan
Petraththaal petra payan.
Translation
To gather wealth great
Is living with the kins in
Love and joy a treat!
Comment
It is like reaping advantage with wealth, when one lives around his kith and kin.
~*~
Original
கொடுத்தலும் இன்சொலும் ஆற்றின் அடுக்கிய
சுற்றத்தால் சுற்றப் படும்.
Pronunciation
Koduththalum insolum aatrin adukkiya
Sutraththaal sutrap padum..
Translation
When one lives with kin
Words of love and life of help
His friends ever in.
Comment
When one helps his kin with action and speaks with words of love, they are ever around him.
~*~
Original
பெரும்கொடையான் பேணான் வெகுளி அவனின்
மருங்குஉடையார் மாநிலத்து இல்.
Pronunciation
Perumkodaiyaan paeNaan veghuLi avanin
Marungku udaiyaar maanilaththu il.
Translation
Free from wrath and gives
Everything to others
Sans friends never goes.
Comment
One who is ready to share his all by giving and is free from anger, he is ever surrounded with kith and kin.
~*~
Original
காக்கை கரவா கரைந்துஉண்ணும்; ஆக்கமும்
அன்னநீ ரார்க்கே உள.
Pronunciation
Kaakkai karavaa karaindhu uNNum aakkamum
Annanee raaarkkae uLa.
Translation
Crows hide not and share
If man has welfare at heart
He has friends lot there.
Comment
Crows never hide its food and but call others and share; if men similarly have welfare of others at heart they have a lot of kith and kin around them.
~*~
Original
பொதுநோக்கான் வேந்தன் வரிசையா நோக்கின்
அதுநோக்கி வாழ்வார் பலர்.
Pronunciation
Podhunoakkaan vaendhan varisaiyaa noakkin
Adhu noakki vaazvaar palar.
Translation
When king helps on merit
Sans treating all at par wrong
People’s praise he gets.
Comment
When a ruler understands the merits of the individuals and extends all help, he is ever in receipt of admiration by all his subjects.
~*~
Original
தமராகித் தந்துறந்தார் சுற்றம் அயராமைக்
காரணம் இன்றி வரும்.
Pronunciation
Thamaraagith thanthurandhaar sutram ayaraamaik
KaaraNam inri varum.
Translation
Forsaken return
As friends when the cause is known
Continue friendship.
Comment
When the cause of broken friendship is understood in the right sense, those who left earlier do come back and continue friendship.
~*~
Original
உழைப்பிரிந்து காரணத்தின் வந்தானை, வேந்தன்
இழைத்துஇருந்து எண்ணிக் கொளல்.
Pronunciation
Uzhaippirindhu kaaraNaththin vandhaanai vaendhan
Izhaiththu irundhu eNNitk koLal.
Translation
The ruler must test
Permit kinship when old friends
Forsaken return.
Comment
When friends leave for no ostensible reason and return again, the king must test the genuineness and permit.
Beautiful Words of Wisdom on Friendship and Wealth from Saint Thiruvalluvar, brought to us by Shri. NVS!
Kinless wealth is but a bankless tank and hence the need for friendship qualified with love and pleasure, never giving room for anger!
No doubt, our crow-like attitude in sharing takes proper care of hard-earned wealth, but a need -based help is always praiseworthy!
Lasting friendship requires proper understanding on our part, and a caution is all the more important when friends come back to us, after having left us abruptly!