Tirukural/Chapter 4

Kural-31 It yields distinction, yields prosperity; what gain Greater than virtue can a living man obtain? Virtue will confer heaven and wealth; what greater source of happiness can man possess ?

Kural-32 No greater gain than virtue aught can cause; No greater loss than life oblivious of her laws. There can be no greater source of good than (the practice of) virtue; there can be no greater source of evil than the forgetfulness of it.

Kural-33 To finish virtue's work with ceaseless effort strive, What way thou may'st, where'er thou see'st the work may thrive. As much as possible, in every way, incessantly practise virtue.

Kural-34 Spotless be thou in mind! This only merits virtue's name; All else, mere pomp of idle sound, no real worth can claim. Let him who does virtuous deeds be of spotless mind; to that extent is virtue; all else is vain show.

Kural-35 'Tis virtue when, his footsteps sliding not through envy, wrath, Lust, evil speech-these four, man onwards moves in ordered path. That conduct is virtue which is free from these four things, viz, malice, desire, anger and bitter speech.

Kural-36 Do deeds of virtue now. Say not, 'To-morrow we'll be wise'; Thus, when thou diest, shalt thou find a help that never dies. Defer not virtue to another day; receive her now; and at the dying hour she will be your undying friend.

Kural-37 Needs not in words to dwell on virtue's fruits: compare The man in litter borne with them that toiling bear! The fruit of virtue need not be described in books; it may be inferred from seeing the bearer of a palanquin and the rider therein.

Kural-38 If no day passing idly, good to do each day you toil, A stone it will be to block the way of future days of moil. If one allows no day to pass without some good being done, his conduct will be a stone to block up the passage to other births.

Kural-39 What from virtue floweth, yieldeth dear delight; All else extern, is void of glory's light. Only that pleasure which flows from domestic virtue is pleasure; all else is not pleasure, and it is without praise.

Kural-40 'Virtue' sums the things that should be done; 'Vice' sums the things that man should shun. That is virtue which each ought to do, and that is vice which each should shun.