 |
|---|
 |
The Holy Kural
Written over two millenia ago by Saint Tiruvalluvar,
translated under the guidance of Gurudeva, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
Avoidance of Backbiting |
|---|
|
|---|
Verse 181
Silent about virtue and swift to act wrongly,
A man who does not slander others may still be called good.
Verse 182
More vile than violating virtue and committing crime
Is slanderously sabotaging a man, then smiling to his face.
Verse 183
Virtue declares that dying, not living, will bring better rewards
To defamers who dissemble and deceive.
Verse 184
Though you speak unkind words to a man's face,
Do not speak words behind his back heedless of consequent harm.
Verse 185
Though every word is full of kindly virtue,
A man's mean back-biting will betray his empty heart.
Verse 186
If a man spreads tales of others' faults,
His own worst faults will be exposed and spread.
Verse 187
Not knowing the companionable art of cheerful conversation,
Men estrange even friends by their divisive discourse.
Verse 188
If men are disposed to spread the faults of friends,
What deadly harm might they do to strangers?
Verse 189
Only because she weighs duty well does Earth bear the weight
Of those who wait for a man's departure to defame him.
Verse 190
If men perceived their own faults as they do the faults of others,
Could misfortune ever come to them?
[Index]
[Prev]
[Next]
|
|
|---|
|
The Holy Kural
Written over two millenia ago by Saint Tiruvalluvar,
translated under the guidance of Gurudeva, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
Avoidance of Backbiting |
|---|
|
|---|
