Kural #660
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Tamil text
சலத்தால் பொருள்செய்தே மார்த்தல்
பசுமண் கலத்துள்நீர் பெய்திரீஇ யற்று
Calattāl poruḷceytē mārttal
Pacumaṇ kalattuḷnīr peytirīi yaṟṟu
English translation
Amassing wealth through deceit and hoarding it is like storing water in an unbaked clay pot.
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Explanation
A beautiful simile: wealth gained by fraud (சலம்) stored away is like water in an unbaked pot (பசுமண் கலம்) - it will seep away and dissolve the container itself. Unethical wealth is inherently unstable.
விளக்கம்
சலத்தால் சம்பாதித்த பணம் நிலைக்காது. அது பச்சையான களிமண் பானையில் ஊற்றிய நீரைப் போல கசிந்துவிடும். வினைத்தூய்மை அதிகாரத்தில், நேர்மையான வழியில் பொருள் சேர்க்க வேண்டும் என்பதே இதன் நீதி. அறமில்லா செல்வம் அழிந்துவிடும்.
Word meanings
- சலத்தால்calattālthrough deceit/fraud
- பொருள்poruḷwealth
- செய்துceytumaking
- ஏமார்த்தல்ēmārttalhoarding/protecting
- பசுpacuraw/fresh
- மண்maṇclay
- கலத்துள்kalattuḷin the pot
- நீர்nīrwater
- பெய்துpeytupouring
- இரீஇirīikeeping
- அற்றுaṟṟulike
Story behind this kural
In the village of Eldoria, lived a merchant named Silas. He was known for his cunning deals, often tricking farmers into selling their harvests for meager prices. With his ill-gotten gains, Silas built a grand house and filled it with riches. He boasted of his wealth, believing himself to be the most fortunate man in Eldoria. One scorching summer, a drought struck the land. The villagers struggled to find water. Silas, however, had a well dug on his property. He hoarded the water, selling it at exorbitant prices. His coffers overflowed with coins. But soon, cracks began to appear in Silas's grand house. The foundation crumbled, and the roof leaked. The villagers, though suffering, found ways to share their limited resources, supporting each other. Silas, despite his wealth, found himself increasingly isolated, his riches offering him no solace as his life seemed to slowly erode.