Kural #1047
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Tamil text
இன்மை இரந்து வாழாமை மன்னோ
வல்லதூஉம் வாழ்க்கையின் ஓர் அங்கு
Iṉmai irantu vāḻāmai maṉṉō
Vallatūum vāḻkkiyiṉ ōr aṅku
English translation
Not living by begging despite poverty - indeed this too is an aspect of virtuous living.
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Explanation
Maintaining self-respect in poverty by refusing to beg represents a noble way of life, an integral part of virtuous existence.
விளக்கம்
வறுமை வந்தபோதும் யாசிச்சு வாழாம இருக்கிறது நல்லது. நல்குரவு அதிகாரத்துல இது முக்கியம். மானத்தோட வாழறது ஒரு சிறந்த வாழ்க்கையோட ஒரு பகுதி. கஷ்டத்துலயும் பெருமைய விடக்கூடாது.
Word meanings
- இன்மைiṉmaipoverty
- இரந்துirantubegging
- வாழாமைvāḻāmainot living
- மன்னோmaṉṉōindeed
- வல்லதுvallatustrong/virtuous
- வாழ்க்கைvāḻkkailiving/life
- ஓர்ōra/one
- அங்குaṅkuaspect/part
Story behind this kural
In a small village nestled beside a whispering river, lived an elderly woman named Elara. Her days were a struggle. The harvest had failed, and her meager savings were gone. Her neighbors, though kind, had little to spare. One day, the village elder, a wealthy man, saw Elara struggling to mend her roof. He approached her, offering a bag of coins. "Take this, Elara," he said. "It will ease your burden." Elara looked at the coins, then at her humble home. She smiled gently. "Thank you, Elder," she replied, "but I cannot accept charity. My hands are strong, and my spirit is unbroken. I will find a way." She spent the next few days gathering fallen wood, selling it in the market. Though the earnings were small, they were enough. Slowly, she repaired her roof, her head held high. The villagers, watching her, nodded with respect. They understood the true measure of her wealth.