1. Quotes
  2. Authors
  3. Thiruvalluvar

Thiruvalluvar Quotes

Thiruvalluvar, also known as Valluvar, was a celebrated Tamil poet and philosopher. He is best known for authoring Thirukkuṛaḷ, a collection of couplets on ethics, political and economical matters, and love. The text is considered as one of the finest works of the Tamil literature.

Much of the information about Valluvar comes from legendary accounts, and little is known with certainty about his family background, religious affiliation, or birthplace. He lived in present-day Tamil Nadu state of India, and his floruit is dated variously from 4th century BCE to 7th century CE based on the traditional accounts and the linguistic analyses of his writings.

Valluvar has literally influenced every scholar down the ages since his time across the ethical, social, political, economical, religious, philosophical, and spiritual spheres. Because the life, culture and ethics of the Tamils are considered to be solely defined in terms of the values set by the Kural literature, the government and the people of Tamil land alike venerate Valluvar and his work with utmost reverence. He is known by numerous honorific designations, such as Saint, First Poet, Divine Poet, Brahma, and Great Scholar.

Thiruvalluvar photo

Works

Tirukkuṛaḷ
Thiruvalluvar
Tirukkuṛaḷ
Thiruvalluvar
Thiruvalluvar: 27 quotes4 likes

Famous Thiruvalluvar Quotes

“Real kindness seeks no return;
What return can the world make to rain clouds?”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XXII.1
Tirukkural

“There is no greater wealth than Virtue,
And no greater loss than to forget it.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse IV.2
Tirukkural

“When no food is given to the ear,
Then let a little be given to the stomach.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XLII.2
Tirukkural

“All life will press palms together in prayerful adoration
of those who refuse to slaughter or savour meat.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse 260.
Tirukkural

“Even the ignorant may appear very worthy,
If they keep silent before the learned.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XLI.3
Tirukkural

“The learned are said to have seeing eyes;
The unlearned have only two sores on their faces.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XL.3
Tirukkural

Thiruvalluvar Quotes about water

“As the quality of water changes with the nature of the soil;
So will a man’s reason vary with the quality of his friends.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XLVI.2
Tirukkural

“To get wealth and security by guile
Is like one who pours water into a pot of unbaked clay.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse LXVI.10
Tirukkural

“Reasoning with a drunkard is like
Going under water with a torch to seek for a drowning man.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XCIII.9
Tirukkural

“The lotus’ stem is as long as the depth of water,
So men’s height is just as great as their inner strength.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse LX.5
Tirukkural

Thiruvalluvar Quotes about anger

“Those who give way to great anger are like the dead:
Those who are free from anger are free from death.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XXXI.10
Tirukkural

“Just as the hand that strikes the ground cannot fail,
So is the ruin certain of him who cherishes anger.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XXXI.7
Tirukkural

Thiruvalluvar Quotes

“The worth of a wife is a man’s good fortune;
His jewels are his good children.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse VI.10
Tirukkural

“The crow does not hide its prey, but calls for others to share it;
So wealth will be with those of a like disposition.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse LIII.7
Tirukkural

“The wound that’s made by fire will heal,
But the wound that’s made by tongue will never heal.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XIII.9
Tirukkural

“Not every light is a true light;
To the wise the light of truth is light itself.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XXX.9
Tirukkural

“To turn away a guest is poorest poverty;
To bear with fools is mightiest might.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XVI.3
Tirukkural

“When you are about to badger the weak,
Then imagine yourself before a more powerful man.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XXV.10
Tirukkural

“The gruel that children’s little hands have stirred
Is sweeter than nectar.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse VII.2
Tirukkural

“How can he practice true compassion
Who eats the flesh of an animal to fatten his own flesh?”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse 251.
Tirukkural

“How can kindliness rule that man
Who eateth other flesh to increase his own?”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XXVI.1
Tirukkural

“They who in trouble untroubled are
Will trouble trouble itself.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse LXIII.3
Tirukkural

“Whatever things a man gives up,
By those he cannot suffer pain.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse XXXV.1
Tirukkural

“To use bitter words, when kind words are at hand,
Is like picking unripe fruit when the ripe fruit is there.”

Thiruvalluvar book Tirukkuṛaḷ

Verse X.10
Tirukkural

Similar authors

Henri-Frédéric Amiel photo
Henri-Frédéric Amiel50
Swiss philosopher and poet None
Paul Valéry photo
Paul Valéry89
French poet, essayist, and philosopher None
Johann Gottfried Herder photo
Johann Gottfried Herder18
German philosopher, theologian, poet, and literary critic None
Friedrich Schiller photo
Friedrich Schiller111
German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright None
Giacomo Leopardi photo
Giacomo Leopardi18
Italian poet, philosopher and writer None
Ralph Waldo Emerson photo
Ralph Waldo Emerson727
American philosopher, essayist, and poet None
Fernando Pessoa photo
Fernando Pessoa288
Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic, translator, publi… None
Samuel Taylor Coleridge photo
Samuel Taylor Coleridge220
English poet, literary critic and philosopher None
Omar Khayyám photo
Omar Khayyám94
Persian poet, philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer None
Robert Frost photo
Robert Frost265
American poet None