Tirukkural Chapter 105 - Couplets 1,2,3 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 105 - நல்குரவு.
CHAPTER 105 - ON POVERTY
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105/01. இன்மையின் இன்னாதது யாதெனின் இன்மையின்
இன்மையே இன்னா தது.

105/01. Inmaiyin innaadhadhu yaadhenin inmaiyin
Inmaiyea innaa dhadhu.

105/01. What is worst than poverty is
it is the poverty that tortures one with poverty.
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Alpana: The worst disease is poverty.
There is no medicine for poverty.

Upasana: Poverty brings one misery,
His life becomes uneasy.
His regular income is low.
But cost of living is high.

To manage his family,
He's struggling daily,
They eat half starved diets
To fill up their bellies.

It is a pathetic scene
In that small dark den,
Name sake it is a house,
Where the family resides.
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105/02. இன்மை எனஒரு பாவி மறுமையும்
இம்மையும் இன்றி வரும்.

105/02. Inmai enaoru paavi marrumaiyum
Immaiyum inrri varum

105/02. A sin in the name of poverty will take away his happiness
in his present life and he will not think of next life also.
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Alpana: Poverty keeps one unhappy always
As it means sufferings only.

Upasana: He's not eating well
And also not dressing well,
How long this kind of pain
He must suffer, one by one?

Leave alone his weak position,
What about his poor children
And his wife; should they suffer
For want of minimum needs forever?

It is a curse on poor people
To undergo this kind of ordeal
Not for a day, but forever,
With no relief whatsoever.
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105/03. தொல்வரவும் தோலும் கெடுக்கும் தொகையாக
நல்குரவு என்னும் நசை.

105/03. Tholvaravum tholum kedukkum thogaiyaaga
Nalkuravu ennum nasai.

105/03. Poverty, the sin of crimes,
will spoil the name and fame
of one's good family.
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Alpana: One's poverty will spoil his family's good name.

Upasana: A rich man is welcome
To have his name and fame,
But a poor man in a hut,
What name or fame he'll get?

Money has its intrinsic value,
But poverty has no face value,
And who will care for poor,
Born on this earth to suffer?

Poverty in some countries,
For lack of natural resources,
More people are victims
Of malnutrition and diseases.
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