Tirukkural Chapter 40 - Couplets 4,5,6

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL அதிகாரம் 40 - கல்வி CHAPTER 40 - ON EDUCATION *** 40/04. உவப்பத் தலைக்கூடி உள்ளப் பிரிதல் அனைத்தே புலவர் தொழில். 40/04. Uvappath thalaikkoodi ullap pirdhal Anaiththae pulavar thozhil. 40/04. An educated man is so popular That people will be eager to meet and talk to him. *** Sita: A highly educated man is a scholar. Everyone will be eager to meet him. Lakshmi: Yes, Just like one lamp Lighting another lamp, Without losing its brightness, An educated man teaches others. The more he teaches others, Perfect his knowledge becomes, He'll never forget, What he had learnt. An uneducated is rich in money But he's poor in knowledge. An educated may be poor in money But he's rich in knowledge. *** 40/05. உடையார்முன் இல்லார்போல் ஏக்கற்றும் கற்றார்; கடையரே கல்லா தவர். 40/05. Udaiyaarmun illaarpol ekkatrrum katrraar Kadaiyare kallaa dhavar. 40/05. Just like a poor man bends before a rich man, one who bends before a teacher And learn is superior to others; otherwise he is uneducated inferior to feel shy of bending. *** Sita: What is the harm for a student in bending before a teacher? Lakshmi: A student should bow That is the correct way how He should show respects To his teacher when he meets. When Guru Dronacharya Asked Hunter Ekalavya To cut off his right Thumb, he gave it. The Guru didn't want That hunter to compete With Arjuna in archery But Ekalavya didn't worry. At once he cut and gave it As Guru's fees, but he knew it That he can't take the bow And shoot, in future, an arrow. This is an extreme case, Of a disciple showing respects, But bending before a teacher To learn, is simple in nature. *** 40/06. தொட்டனைத்து ஊறும் மணற்கேணி; மாந்தர்க்குக் கற்றனைத்து ஊறும் அறிவு. 40/06. Thottanaiththu oorrum mannarrkenni; maandharkkuk Katrranaiththum oorrum arrive, 40/06. Just like a spring gives more water, the more deep one digs, The knowledge of educated people goes up according to his studies. *** Sita: There is a saying, 'Reading makes half man, Writing makes a full man.' Lakshmi: Yes Sita, The more one student reads The more knowledge he gains. Knowledge is like a spring in river beds That gives more water, the deeper one digs. Village women go to river beds With a pot and plate on their heads, They dig deep the river beds To make a spring out of sands. They bale out first turbid water, And then collect crystal clear Water in their mud pots And carry pots back on their hips. Like springs human brains act, After the first few morbid thoughts, One by one, clear thoughts rush out, As in an open dam, water gushes out. ***