Kural #292
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Tamil text
பொய்மையும் வாய்மை யிடத்த
புரைதீர்ந்த நன்மை பயக்கும் எனின்
Poymaiyum vāymai yiṭatta
Puraitīrnta naṉmai payakkum eṉiṉ
English translation
Even falsehood has the place of truth, if it produces faultless good.
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Explanation
A remarkable ethical nuance. If a lie results in unquestionable benefit without any harmful side effects, it can be considered equivalent to truth. This acknowledges situations where strict truth might cause greater harm.
விளக்கம்
பொய்யுரை கூட உண்மையாகும்; குற்றமில்லா நன்மை தந்தால். வாய்மை அதிகாரத்தில் இது முக்கியம். தீமை வராமல் காத்தால், அதுவே அறம்.
Word meanings
- பொய்மையும்poymaiyumeven falsehood
- வாய்மைvāymaitruth
- இடத்தiṭattahas the place of
- புரைpuraifault
- தீர்ந்தtīrntafree from
- நன்மைnaṉmaigood
- பயக்கும்payakkumproduces
- எனின்eṉiṉif
Story behind this kural
In a small village nestled beside a whispering forest lived a woodcutter named Arun. Arun was known for his honesty; he never uttered a falsehood. One day, a wealthy merchant arrived, seeking the finest timber. He offered Arun a handsome sum for the wood, but warned him, "If you tell anyone where you get it, I will pay you nothing." Arun agreed, and for weeks, he felled the merchant's trees, keeping his secret. However, a terrible drought struck the village. The villagers were starving, and the well had run dry. Arun knew of a hidden spring deep in the forest, but revealing its location would break his agreement with the merchant. Torn, he eventually led the villagers to the spring. They rejoiced, and their lives were saved. The merchant, furious, refused to pay Arun. But the villagers, grateful for their lives, shared their meager food and helped Arun rebuild his small home, now knowing that sometimes, a secret kept can be more harmful than a truth gently bent.