Tirukkural Chapter 41 - Couplets 1,2,3 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 41 - கல்லாமை
CHAPTER 41 - ON UNEDUCATED
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41/01. அரங்கின்றி வட்டாடி அற்றே நிரம்பிய
நூல்இன்றிக் கோட்டி கொளல்.

41/01. Arangindri vattaadi arrtray nirambiya
Noolindrik kotti kollal.

41/01. If a man speaks on a stage, with no knowledge of the scriptures,
It's like a man casting the gambling dice, without knowing rules of the game.
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Ambika: Half knowledge is dangerous
No knowledge is still more dangerous.

Bhavana: A rich man built a stadium,
With all facilities for every game,
And invited his father to watch,
From the gallery a football match.

At the end of the game,
His father chided him,
'Why to get a single ball
They all run up to the goal? '

'Had you simply given,
One ball for each one,
They wouldn't have run
Kicking that ball one.'

His father couldn't enjoy
That day's football play
As rules of the game
Wasn't known to him.
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41/02. கல்லாதான் சொற்கா முறுதல் முலையிரண்டும்
இல்லாதாள் பெண் காமுற் றற்று

41/02. Kallaadhaan sorrkaa murrudhal mulaiyirandum
Illaadhaall penn kaamurr rratrru.

41/02. One, who's not educated in scriptures, wants to lecture on that subject.
It's like one, who has no two breasts, claiming woman hood.
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Ambika: How can an uneducated man in scriptures
talk about scriptures?

Bhavana: True, he can't speak a word,
On a topic he has not studied,
Then how can he claim
It's well known to him?

The example given here
By the poet do appear
To be very curt
Yet, he means it.

An uneducated farmer
Cannot lecture on scriptures,
While an educated teacher,
Can do the work of a farmer.
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41/03. கல்லா தவரும் நனிநல்லர் கற்றார்முன்
சொல்லாது இருக்கப் பெறின்.

41/03. Kallaa dhavarum naninallar katrraarmun
Sollaadhu irukkap perrin.

41/03. Even an uneducated person is a good man, knowing well he is an illiterate,
Remains quiet before an assembly of educated people.
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Ambika: A half pot of water will spill out
While a full pot of water will never spill out
(அரை குடம் தளும்பும்,
நிறை குடம் தளும்பாது)

Bhavana: When one is willing to admit
He's an illiterate and keeps quiet
In a meeting of educated persons
He's, no doubt, a good man.

This reminds one of the story
Of Kalidasa from ancient history,
Who was once an idiot
Later became a big poet.

Once he was a shepherd,
And not at all educated,
By a conspiracy of ministers,
He was married to a princess.

Later, Goddess Kali blessed him,
And a famous poet he became,
Thus he's is an example
For all uneducated people.
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