Chapter 31 – Restraining Anger / Vekulaama
Couplets / kuratpaakal
குறள் : #301 #302 #303 #304 #305 #306 #307 #308 #309 #310
Couplet 301
Where thou hast power thy angry will to work, thy wrath restrains;
Where power is none, what matter if thou check or give it rein.
Explanation
He restrains his anger who restrains it when it can injure; when it cannot injure, what does it matter whether he restrain it, or not?
Transliteration
Sellitaththuk Kaappaan Sinangaappaan Allitaththuk
Kaakkinen Kaavaakkaal En?
Couplet 302
Where power is none to wreak thy wrath, wrath importent is ill;
Where thou hast power thy will to work, ’tis greater, evil still.
Explanation
Anger is bad, even when it cannot injure; when it can injure; there is no greater evil.
Transliteration
Sellaa Itaththuch Chinandheedhu Sellitaththum
Iladhanin Theeya Pira.
Couplet 303
If any rouse thy wrath, the trespass straight forgets;
For wrath an endless train of evils will beget.
Explanation
Forget anger towards everyone, as fountains of evil spring from it.
Transliteration
Maraththal Vekuliyai Yaarmaattum Theeya
Piraththal Adhanaan Varum.
Couplet 304
Wrath robs the face of smiles, the heart of joy,
What other foe to man works such annoy.
Explanation
What other foe to man works such annoy?
Transliteration
Nakaiyum Uvakaiyum Kollum Sinaththin
Pakaiyum Ulavo Pira.
Couplet 305
If thou would’st guard thyself, guard against wrath alway;
‘Gainst wrath who guards not, him his wrath shall slay.
Explanation
If a man would guard himself, let him guard against anger; if he do not guard it, anger will kill him.
Transliteration
Thannaiththaan Kaakkin Sinangaakka Kaavaakkaal
Thannaiye Kollunj Chinam.
Couplet 306
Wrath, the fire that slayeth whose draweth near,
Will burn the helpful ‘raft’ of kindred dear.
Explanation
The fire of anger will burn up even the pleasant raft of friendship.
Transliteration
Sinamennum Serndhaaraik Kolli Inamennum
Emap Punaiyaich Chutum.
Couplet 307
The hand that smites the earth unfailing feels the sting;
So perish they who nurse their wrath as noble thing.
Explanation
Destruction will come upon him who ragards anger as a good thing, as surely as the hand of him who strikes the ground will not fail.
Transliteration
Sinaththaip Porulendru Kontavan Ketu
Nilaththaraindhaan Kaipizhaiyaa Thatru.
Couplet 308
Though men should work thee woe, like touch of tongues of fire
‘Tis well if thou canst save thy soul from burning ire.
Explanation
Though one commit things against you as painful (to bear) as if a bundle of fire had been thrust upon you, it will be well, to refrain, if possible, from anger.
Transliteration
Inareri Thoivanna Innaa Seyinum
Punarin Vekulaamai Nandru.
Couplet 309
If man his soul preserve from wrathful fires,
He gains with that whate’er his soul desires.
Explanation
If a man never indulges anger in his heart, he will at once obtain whatever he has thought of.
Transliteration
Ulliya Thellaam Utaneydhum Ullaththaal
Ullaan Vekuli Enin.
Couplet 310
Men of surpassing wrath are like the men who’ve passed away;
Who wrath renounce, equals of all-renouncing sages they.
Explanation
Those, who give way to excessive anger, are no better than dead men; but those, who are freed from it, are equal to those who are freed (from death).
Transliteration
Irandhaar Irandhaar Anaiyar Sinaththaith
Thurandhaar Thurandhaar Thunai.
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