Kural #193
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Tamil text
நயனிலன் என்பது சொல்லும்
பயனில பாரித்து உரைக்கும் உரை
Nayaṉilaṉ eṉpatu collum
Payaṉila pārittu uraikkum urai
English translation
Words spoken elaborately without substance proclaim that the speaker lacks wisdom.
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Explanation
Lengthy, elaborate but meaningless speech reveals the speaker's lack of wisdom. Verbosity without content is a sign of foolishness, not intelligence.
விளக்கம்
பயனற்ற, நீளமான பேச்சு, பேசுபவருக்கு அறிவில்லையென்று காட்டும். பயனில்லாத சொற்கள், 'பயனில சொல்லாமை' அதிகாரத்தின்படி தவிர்க்கப்பட வேண்டும். குறைவாகப் பேசினாலும், நல்ல கருத்துள்ள சொற்களைப் பேசுவதே சிறப்பு.
Word meanings
- நயன்nayaṉwisdom/good sense
- இலன்ilaṉone without
- என்பதுeṉpatuthat
- சொல்லும்collumspeaks/proclaims
- பயன்payaṉbenefit
- இலilawithout
- பாரித்துpārittuelaborating
- உரைக்கும்uraikkumspeaking
- உரைuraiwords/speech
Story behind this kural
In a bustling marketplace, a merchant named Tharan boasted of his wares. He spoke for hours, describing the shimmering silk, the fragrant spices, and the jewels he claimed to possess, each tale more elaborate than the last. Villagers gathered, captivated by his eloquent descriptions, yet no one bought a thing. Nearby, a quiet farmer, Arul, simply held up a basket of ripe mangoes. He offered them with a smile and a brief word: "Sweetest mangoes of the season." Within minutes, his basket was empty. Tharan, still talking, noticed Arul’s success. He tried to mimic him, holding up a single, ordinary stone, and began a lengthy speech about its unique properties, claiming it was a rare gem. The crowd merely chuckled and walked away. Tharan was left alone, his voice echoing in the empty square.