Kural #459
Last reviewed:
Tamil text
அறிவினுள் எல்லாந் தலையென்ப
தீய செறுவார் சேர்ந்தொழுகாமை
Aṟiviṉuḷ ellān talaiyeṉpa
Tīya ceṟuvār cērntoḻukāmai
English translation
The foremost of all wisdom, they say, is not associating with those who do evil.
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Explanation
Of all the forms of intelligence and wisdom one can possess, the most important is the discernment to avoid bad company. This simple wisdom prevents countless problems before they begin.
விளக்கம்
தீய நண்பர்களோடு சேராமல் இருப்பதுதான் சிறந்த அறிவு. கெட்டவர்களுடன் பழகினால் துன்பம் வரும். சிற்றினம் சேராமை அதிகாரத்தில் இது முக்கியம். தீமையைத் தவிர்ப்பதே நன்று.
Word meanings
- அறிவினுள்aṟiviṉuḷamong wisdom/knowledge
- எல்லாம்ellāmall
- தலைtalaiforemost/chief
- என்பeṉpathey say
- தீயtīyaevil
- செறுவார்ceṟuvārthose who do/hostile ones
- சேர்ந்துcērntujoining
- ஒழுகாமைoḻukāmainot associating
Story behind this kural
In a quiet village nestled beside a whispering forest, lived two young farmers, Arun and Bala. Arun was known for his diligence, his fields always yielding a bountiful harvest. Bala, however, found himself drawn to the company of idle villagers, those who scoffed at honest work and indulged in frivolous pursuits. One season, a severe drought struck. Arun, having carefully stored his harvest, weathered the hardship with ease. He shared his grain, helping those in need. Bala, on the other hand, had spent his harvest on wasteful pleasures, leaving him with nothing. He found himself begging for scraps. As the rains returned, Arun’s fields flourished again. He saw Bala, now humbled and weary, struggling to prepare his land. Arun offered him help, but Bala, influenced by his old companions, soon drifted back into their lazy ways. His fields remained barren, while Arun’s continued to thrive.