Couplet: Where thou hast power thy angry will to work, thy wrath restrain; Where power is none, what matter if thou check or give it rein English Explanation: He restrains his anger who restrains it when it can injure; when it cannot injure, what does it matter whether he restrain it, or not ? Transliteration: Sellitaththuk Kaappaan Sinangaappaan Allitaththuk Kaakkinen Kaavaakkaal En?
Couplet: Where power is none to wreak thy wrath, wrath importent is ill; Where thou hast power thy will to work, 'tis greater, evil still English Explanation: Anger is bad, even when it cannot injure; when it can injure; there is no greater evil Transliteration: Sellaa Itaththuch Chinandheedhu Sellitaththum Iladhanin Theeya Pira
Couplet: If any rouse thy wrath, the trespass straight forget; For wrath an endless train of evils will beget English Explanation: Forget anger towards every one, as fountains of evil spring from it Transliteration: Maraththal Vekuliyai Yaarmaattum Theeya Piraththal Adhanaan Varum
Couplet: Wrath robs the face of smiles, the heart of joy, What other foe to man works such annoy English Explanation: What other foe to man works such annoy? Transliteration: Nakaiyum Uvakaiyum Kollum Sinaththin Pakaiyum Ulavo Pira
Couplet: If thou would'st guard thyself, guard against wrath alway; 'Gainst wrath who guards not, him his wrath shall slay English Explanation: If a man would guard himself, let him guard against anger; if he do not guard it, anger will kill him Transliteration: Thannaiththaan Kaakkin Sinangaakka Kaavaakkaal Thannaiye Kollunj Chinam
Couplet: Wrath, the fire that slayeth whose draweth near, Will burn the helpful 'raft' of kindred dear English Explanation: The fire of anger will burn up even the pleasant raft of friendship Transliteration: Sinamennum Serndhaaraik Kolli Inamennum Emap Punaiyaich Chutum
Couplet: The hand that smites the earth unfailing feels the sting; So perish they who nurse their wrath as noble thing English Explanation: Destruction will come upon him who ragards anger as a good thing, as surely as the hand of him who strikes the ground will not fail Transliteration: Sinaththaip Porulendru Kontavan Ketu Nilaththaraindhaan Kaipizhaiyaa Thatru
Couplet: Though men should work thee woe, like touch of tongues of fire 'Tis well if thou canst save thy soul from burning ire English Explanation: Though one commit things against you as painful (to bear) as if a bundle of fire had been thrust upon you, it will be well, to refrain, if possible, from anger Transliteration: Inareri Thoivanna Innaa Seyinum Punarin Vekulaamai Nandru
Couplet: If man his soul preserve from wrathful fires, He gains with that whate'er his soul desires English Explanation: If a man never indulges anger in his heart, he will at once obtain whatever he has thought of Transliteration: Ulliya Thellaam Utaneydhum Ullaththaal Ullaan Vekuli Enin
Couplet: Men of surpassing wrath are like the men who've passed away; Who wrath renounce, equals of all-renouncing sages they English Explanation: Those, who give way to excessive anger, are no better than dead men; but those, who are freed from it, are equal to those who are freed (from death) Transliteration: Irandhaar Irandhaar Anaiyar Sinaththaith Thurandhaar Thurandhaar Thunai