Kural #1052
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Tamil text
இன்மை இடுக்கண் களைவதாம் என்றுந்தான்
இன்மை இரவின் கரி
Iṉmai iṭukkaṇ kaḷaivatām eṉṟuntāṉ
Iṉmai iraviṉ kari
English translation
Even if poverty is a misery, know that poverty is still better than the misery of begging.
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Explanation
Thiruvalluvar establishes a hierarchy of suffering: poverty is painful, but begging is worse. This reflects the deep value placed on self-sufficiency and dignity.
விளக்கம்
வறுமையின் துன்பம் கொடியது. ஆனால், இரந்து வாழ்வது அதைவிடக் கேவலமானது. யாசிப்பதைவிடச் சொந்த முயற்சியில் கஷ்டப்படுவது மேல். இரவு அதிகாரத்தில் வள்ளுவர் சுயமரியாதையின் முக்கியத்துவத்தை உணர்த்துகிறார்.
Word meanings
- இன்மைiṉmaipoverty/lack
- இடுக்கண்iṭukkaṇmisery/suffering
- களைவதுkaḷaivaturemoving/relief
- ஆம்āmis
- என்றும்eṉṟumeven though
- தான்tāṉitself
- இரவுiravubegging
- இன்iṉthan
- கரிkarisuperior/better
Story behind this kural
In a small village nestled beside a whispering forest lived two farmers, Arun and Bala. Arun toiled relentlessly, his fields often yielding meager harvests. He struggled, yet he persevered, bartering what little he had for the essentials of life. Bala, however, tired of labor, began to beg. Each day, he’d plead at the village gates, receiving alms from the kindhearted. One harsh winter, the snow fell deep. Arun's storehouse was nearly empty, but he shared his last grains with his family. Bala, accustomed to the generosity of others, found the villagers had little to spare. His usual handouts dwindled. He shivered in the cold, his empty stomach a constant ache. Arun, though his own family faced hardship, still found joy in the warmth of his small home. He looked at his children, their faces lit by the fire. He was proud of his hard work and the respect of his neighbors. Bala, however, felt a growing sense of shame. He realized he was utterly dependent, his dignity eroded with each outstretched hand. Even the biting cold of winter was not as bitter as the emptiness within.