Tirukkural Chapter 104 - Couplets 1,2,3 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 104 - உழவு.
CHAPTER 104 - ON AGRICULTURE
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104/01. சுழன்றும்ஏர்ப் பின்னது உலகம்; அதனால்
உழந்தும் உழவே தலை.

104/01. Suzhandrrumearp pinnadhu ulagam; adhanaal
Uzhandhum uzhavea thalai.

104/01. Of all the occupations, agriculture is the best one,
as without it, lives cannot survive, though it is a difficult profession.
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Jagmohan: If a former doesn't work hard,
For all of us there is no food.

Nikhil: Yes, a former works, rain or sun,
Tills the soil and sows seeds,
Wait till all come as standing crops
Then he harvests them as grains.

He has to wait for six months
To get the good results,
No natural calamities must
Visit in between harvest.

All the while he has to shed,
His sweat in the field,
In safeguarding the crops,
A laborious task, it is always.
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104/02. உழுவார் உலகத்தார்க்கு ஆணி அஃதாற்றாது
எழுவாரை எல்லாம் பொறுத்து.

104/02. Uzhuvaar ulagaththaarkku aanni agdhaatrraadhu
Ezhuvaarai ellaam porruththu.

104/02. A farmer is supporting all upper class people
who are not engaged in farming like an axle in a wheel.
So, farmers form as a base for others in the world.
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Jagmohan: Who is feeding those upper class people?
Is it not the farmers who work hard?

Nikhil: Yes, they feed all people,
Upper or lower, but they're simple,
Like an axle in a wheel,
That runs without any trouble.

So, people in the world
Survive on farmers' food,
And they form the base
For all the people's lives.

They live on simple food,
For the sake of others' good,
The fruits of their labor
Other people enjoy forever.
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104/03. உழுதுண்டு வாழ்வாரே வாழ்வார்மற்று எல்லாம்
தொழுதுண்டு பின்செல் பவர்.

104/03. Uzhudhunndu vaazhvaarae vaazhvaarmatrru ellaam
Thozhudhunndu pinsel bhavar.

104/03. Farmers live on farming, feeding others and themselves,
while others lead their lives as slaves, worshiping others for their food.
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Jagmohan: Farmers sacrifice their lives
For others to live in this world.

Nikhil: True, they take poor food
And give others rich food.
For that they've to toil,
In the sun or rain, on the soil.

Without farmers' grains
People suffer severe pains,
So, they must be grateful
To farmers' offers of goodwill.

It is on farmers' sacrifice,
People enjoy their lives,
So, people must take proper care
Of every hard working farmer.
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