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Impartial insight into Human Nature or intellectual Snobbery in Thiru-Valluvar's THIRU-KURAL: Canto 84 - PEETHAIMAI*

[Note: Throughout his oeuvre, there can be found aphorisms which broadly hint at Thiru-Valluvar's intolerance of the less-endowed individual, and none characterises this trait as PEETHAIMAI or "Folly". Likewise his somewhat oblique comments ensconced in the descriptions on the status and role of women in Tamil society, not that women enjoyed better rights elsewhere until about the beginning of the twentieth century. (Will elaborate on this subject in Thiru-Valluvar's words in coming posts.) Sample these couplets.] T. Wignesan

K833: naanaamai naadaamai naarinmai yaathentrum
           peethaamai peethai tholil

Ashamed of nothing, searching nothing out, of loveless heart,
Nought cherishing, 'tis thus the fool will play his part. (Transl. G.U. Pope)
Shameless indifference (to what must be sought after), harshness, and aversion for everything (that ought to be desired) are the qualities of the fool. (Transl. Drew & Lazarus)

Unashamedness, lack of curiosity, callousness, attaching value to nothing - such attitudes characterise the fool. (Transl. T. Wignesan)

K839: perithuinithu peethaiyaar keenmai pirivinkan
            piilai tharuvathuonru il*
[Please don't apply this couplet to political events in an international setting. Thanks.]

Friendship of fools is [a] very pleasant thing,
Parting with them will leave behind no sting. (Transl. G.U. Pope)
The friendship between fools is exceedingly delightful (to each other): for at parting there will be nothing to cause them pain. (Transl. Drew & Lazarus)

The overwhelming warmth of intimacy among fools hardly afflicts them when from their midst they depart. (Transl. T. Wignesan)

K840: kalaaakkaal palliyul vaiththatraal saantrOr
            kulaaaththup peethai pukal

Like him who seeks his couch with unwashed feet,
Is fool whose foot intrudes where wise men meet. (Transl. G..U. Pope)
The appearance of a fool in an assembly of the learned is like placing (one's) unwashed feet on a bed. (Transl. Drew & Lazarus)

The act of lying in bed with unwashed feet is tantamount to the presence of fools in the assembly of the learned.* (Transl. T. Wignesan)
   [*Thiruvalluvar certainly has not seen - it can be said - hot Hollywood bedroom scenes with socks ... and shoes to boot.]

© T. Wignesan - Paris, 2017
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