Kural #836
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Tamil text
பொய்படும் ஒன்றோ புனைபூணும்
கையறியாப் பேதை வினைமேற் கொளின்
Poypaṭum oṉṟō puṉaipūṇum
Kaiyaṟiyāp pētai viṉaimēṟ koḷiṉ
English translation
When a fool who knows nothing undertakes a task, he will fail and also adorn himself with disgrace.
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Explanation
When an ignorant fool (கையறியா பேதை) undertakes work (வினை மேற்கொளின்), failure is certain (பொய்படும்). Moreover, he will wear disgrace (புனை பூணும்) as an ornament. Incompetence leads not just to failure but to public shame.
விளக்கம்
கையறியாத பேதை ஒரு வேலையைச் செய்தால், அது தவறாக முடியும். அதுமட்டுமல்லாமல், அவமானம் ஒரு ஆபரணம் போல அவனைச் சூழ்ந்து கொள்ளும். அறிவில்லாததால் வரும் துன்பம் இது. பேதைமை அதிகாரத்தில் இது முக்கியம்.
Word meanings
- பொய்படும்poypaṭumwill fail/prove false
- ஒன்றோoṉṟōonly one thing?
- புனைpuṉaiadornment
- பூணும்pūṇumwill wear
- கைkaihand/skill
- அறியாaṟiyānot knowing
- பேதைpētaifool
- வினைviṉaitask
- மேற்கொளின்mēṟkoḷiṉif undertakes
Story behind this kural
In a village nestled beside a shimmering river lived a baker named Thulasi. He had never baked bread, but when the village's master baker fell ill, Thulasi declared he could fill the man's oven. He donned the master's apron, a garment far too large, and began. He mixed the flour without care, adding too much salt and not enough water. His first loaves were burnt bricks, and the next were doughy messes. Yet, with each failure, Thulasi puffed out his chest, boasting of his "unique" recipes. Villagers watched, their initial hope turning to amusement, then pity. The aroma of disaster filled the air. Finally, the master baker recovered. He returned to find his oven cold, and his reputation, and his flour, ruined. Thulasi, still in the oversized apron, offered a lopsided loaf. The baker sighed. He then quietly, and with great skill, began to bake. The villagers, though hungry, understood.