Kural #927
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Tamil text
உள்ளொற்றி உள்ளூர் நகப்படுவர்
எஞ்ஞான்றும் கள்ளொற்றிக் கண்சாய் பவர்
Uḷḷoṟṟi uḷḷūr nakappaṭuvar
Eññāṉṟum kaḷḷoṟṟik kaṇcāy pavar
English translation
Those who secretly drink and close their eyes in stupor will be secretly ridiculed by their own townspeople.
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Explanation
Drunkards who think they drink secretly (கள்ளொற்றி) become objects of secret ridicule (உள்ளொற்றி நகப்படுவர்) by their neighbors. The irony: secret drinking leads to public shame.
விளக்கம்
கள் குடிப்பதை ரகசியமாகச் செய்பவர், ஊராரால் மறைமுகமாக நகைக்கப்படுவார். கள்ளுண்ணாமை அதிகாரத்தில், இது குடி குடியைக் கெடுக்கும் என்பதை காட்டுகிறது. ரகசியம் என்று நினைப்பது எல்லோருக்கும் தெரியும்; அவமானம் வரும்.
Word meanings
- உள்uḷinside/secretly
- ஒற்றிoṟṟispying/secretly
- உள்ளூர்uḷḷūrtownspeople/neighbors
- நகப்படுவர்nakappaṭuvarwill be laughed at
- எஞ்ஞான்றும்eññāṉṟumalways
- கள்kaḷliquor
- கண்kaṇeyes
- சாய்பவர்cāypavarthose who close/droop
Story behind this kural
In the village of Eldoria, lived a weaver named Thomas, known for his skillful hands and cheerful spirit. But Thomas harbored a secret. Each evening, after the day's work, he would sneak off to a hidden tavern on the edge of the woods. There, he'd drink a potent brew, believing his secret was safe. One day, a wealthy merchant, admiring Thomas's work, offered him a grand commission. Thomas, emboldened by the brew, boasted loudly, slurring his words, about the secret location of the finest silk. The merchant, though polite, seemed less impressed. The next day, Thomas awoke with a throbbing head and a chilling realization: the merchant had chosen another weaver. Thomas also noticed the villagers whispering and giggling behind their hands. His secret, he now understood, was no longer a secret at all, and it had cost him dearly.