Payinila chollamai-Twentieth chapter of Thirukural (Avoiding of talking useless things.)

Payinila chollamai-Twentieth   chapter of Thirukural

(Avoiding of  talking  useless  things.)

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(It is but natural for Thiruvalluvar to  greatly dislike  useless talk but it is great that  he u included a  chapter on that. He says that  if a person keeps on telling  useless things, people   would consider  that he is useless,)

1.Pallar muniya payanila cholluvaan,

Yellarum   yella padum.

1.He who talks  useless things in front  of wise people ,

Would be hated   by every one.

2,Payanila pallar mun  chollal  nayanils ,

Nattar kan cheithalin theethu

2.Telling  useless things in front of  people  with great  wisdom,

Is  worse  than  doing   improper  things before  friends.

3.Nayanilan   yenpathu  chollum  payanila,

Paari thuraikkum   urai.

3.If a person  keeps on   telling    useless  things in detail,

That  talk would show that he is undesirable.

4.Nayancharaa nanmayin  neekum  payancharaa,

Panpil  chol pallaa  rakathu.

4.If a person tells useless  and not  good to many people ,

Then those words which are  not cultured would remove him   from goodness.

5.Cheermai chirappodu  neengum  payanila,

Neermayudayar   cholin.

5.If good people   tell useless  words, their  ,

Greatness  would go away along with good opinion  about them.

6.Payanil chol parattu  vaanai  magan yenal,

Makkat pathati   yenal.

6.A person   who tells  useless  words  several times,

Cannot be  termed as human , but a twig among humans.

7.Nayanila   chollinum  cholluga , chandror  ,

Payinila  chollamai   nandru.

7.Even if wise people  do not tell words  of justice ,

It would be better  if they do not tell  useless  words.

8.Arum payan  aayum   arivinaar  chollaar ,

Perum payan  illatha   chol.

8.Those wise people who search for knowledge   that  is of  use ,

Would  not tell  words which are of not of  any great use.

9.Porul theernthspochaanthum  chollar , marul theerntha,

Masaru kakshiyavar.

9.Those faultless  wise people who have woken from a trance .

Would never   tell words  which are  useless.

10.Cholluka  chollin  payanudaya chollarkka ,

Chollin payanilaa   chol.

10.If you  talk, tell  useful words and

Do never tell useless   words.