121 அடக்கம் அமரருள் உய்க்கும் அடங்காமை
ஆரிருள் உய்த்து விடும்Translation:
Control of self does man conduct to bliss th' immortals share;
Indulgence leads to deepest night, and leaves him there.
Self-control will place (a man) among the Gods; the want of it will drive (him) into the thickest darkness (of hell).
Meaning:
Restraint will result in a place among the divine; lack of it will lead to utter darkness.122 காக்க பொருளா அடக்கத்தை ஆக்கம்
அதனினூஉங் கில்லை உயிர்க்குTranslation:
Guard thou as wealth the power of self-control;
Than this no greater gain to living soul!
Let self-control be guarded as a treasure; there is no greater source of good for man than that.
Meaning:
Preserve your restraint as you would preserve your wealth; for humans, there is no treasure more precious.123 செறிவறிந்து சீர்மை பயக்கும் அறிவறிந்
தாற்றின் அடங்கப் பெறின்Translation:
If versed in wisdom's lore by virtue's law you self restrain.
Your self-repression known will yield you glory's gain.
Knowing that self-control is knowledge, if a man should control himself, in the prescribed course, such self-control will bring him distinction among the wise.
Meaning:
The greatness of one, who is wise and follows the right path by being restrained, will be recognized and appreciated.124 நிலையின் திரியா தடங்கியான் தோற்றம்
மலையினும் மாணப் பெரிதுTranslation:
In his station, all unswerving, if man self subdue,
Greater he than mountain proudly rising to the view.
More lofty than a mountain will be the greatness of that man who without swerving from his domestic state, controls himself.
Meaning:
The stature of one, who doesn’t diverge from the right path and remains restrained, will belittle a mountain.
125 எல்லார்க்கும் நன்றாம் பணிதல் அவருள்ளும்
செல்வர்க்கே செல்வம் தகைத்துTranslation:
To all humility is goodly grace; but chief to them
With fortune blessed, -'tis fortune's diadem.
Humility is good in all; but especially in the rich it is (the excellence of) higher riches.
Meaning:
Humility is a good quality in everyone; in particular, for the wealthy, it is like their wealth.126 ஒருமையுள் ஆமைபோல் ஐந்தடக்கல் ஆற்றின்
எழுமையும் ஏமாப் புடைத்துTranslation:
Like tortoise, who the five restrains
In one, through seven world bliss obtains.
Should one throughout a single birth, like a tortoise keep in his five senses, the fruit of it will prove a safe-guard to him throughout the seven-fold births.
Meaning:
If one can restrain his five senses, like a tortoise that retreats into its single shell, it will be a protection through seven births.
127 யாகாவா ராயினும் நாகாக்க காவாக்காற்
சோகாப்பர் சொல்லிழுக்குப் பட்டுTranslation:
Whate'er they fail to guard, o'er lips men guard should keep;
If not, through fault of Tongue, they bitter tears shall weep.
Whatever besides you leave unguarded, guard your tongue; otherwise errors of speech and the consequent misery will ensue.
Meaning:
Even if nothing else can be restrained, one must control his tongue; if not, he will suffer because of the harm inflicted by his words.
128 ஒன்றானுந் தீச்சொல் பொருட்பயன் உண்டாயின்
நன்றாகா தாகி விடும்Translation:
Though some small gain of good it seem to bring,
The evil word is parent still of evil thing.
If a man's speech be productive of a single evil, all the good by him will be turned into evil.
Meaning:
Even if there is one harm caused by harsh words, all the good caused by other virtuous deeds will also be seen as evil.
129 தீயினாற் சுட்டபுண் உள்ளாறும் ஆறாதே
நாவினாற் சுட்ட வடுTranslation:
In flesh by fire inflamed, nature may thoroughly heal the sore;
In soul by tongue inflamed, the ulcer healeth never more.
The wound which has been burnt in by fire may heal, but a wound burnt in by the tongue will never heal.
Meaning:
A wound caused by fire will heal inside; a scar caused by the tongue never heals.
130 கதங்காத்துக் கற்றடங்கல் ஆற்றுவான் செவ்வி
அறம்பார்க்கும் ஆற்றின் நுழைந்துTranslation:
Who learns restraint, and guards his soul from wrath,
Virtue, a timely aid, attends his path.
Virtue, seeking for an opportunity, will come into the path of that man who, possessed of learning and self-control, guards himself against anger.
Meaning:
Virtue will wait for the moment to adorn one, who controls anger, learns all there is to learn and exercises restraint.
This post first appeared on Thirukural (Couplets) - A Tamil Classic Literacy, please read the originial post: here
