Knowing One's Duty to Society
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
tāḷāṟṟit tanta poruḷellān takkārkku / vēḷāṇmai ceytaṟ poruṭṭu
All wealth earned through worthy effort is meant to be put to work in service of those for whom help is fitting.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“The worthy say, when wealth rewards their toil-spent hours, / For uses of beneficence alone 'tis ours.”
“The substance gathered in by the worthy by the labour of their hands is all for others’ use.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
தக்கார்க்கு= தகுதியுடையார்க்கு ஆயின்;; தாள் ஆற்றித் தந்த பொருள் எல்லாம்= முயறலைச் செய்து ஈட்டிய பொருள் முழுதும்;; வேளாண்மை செய்தல் பொருட்டு= ஒப்புரவு செய்தற் பயத்தவாம்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
For a worthy person, the whole substance gained through sustained effort exists as a means of performing beneficial service for those to whom help is due.