Restraining Anger

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

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 ?.

Tamil Transliteration
Sellitaththuk Kaappaan Sinangaappaan Allitaththuk
Kaakkinen Kaavaakkaal En?.

Where power is none to wreak thy wrath, wrath importent is ill;
Where thou hast power thy will to work, 'tis greater, evil still

Explanation
Anger is bad, even when it cannot injure; when it can injure; there is no greater evil.

Tamil Transliteration
Sellaa Itaththuch Chinandheedhu Sellitaththum
Iladhanin Theeya Pira.

If any rouse thy wrath, the trespass straight forget;
For wrath an endless train of evils will beget

Explanation
Forget anger towards every one, as fountains of evil spring from it.

Tamil Transliteration
Maraththal Vekuliyai Yaarmaattum Theeya
Piraththal Adhanaan Varum.

Wrath robs the face of smiles, the heart of joy,
What other foe to man works such annoy

Explanation
What other foe to man works such annoy?.

Tamil Transliteration
Nakaiyum Uvakaiyum Kollum Sinaththin
Pakaiyum Ulavo Pira.

If thou would'st guard thyself, guard against wrath alway;
'Gainst wrath who guards not, him his wrath shall slay

Explanation
If a man would guard himself, let him guard against anger; if he do not guard it, anger will kill him.

Tamil Transliteration
Thannaiththaan Kaakkin Sinangaakka Kaavaakkaal
Thannaiye Kollunj Chinam.

Wrath, the fire that slayeth whose draweth near,
Will burn the helpful 'raft' of kindred dear

Explanation
The fire of anger will burn up even the pleasant raft of friendship.

Tamil Transliteration
Sinamennum Serndhaaraik Kolli Inamennum
Emap Punaiyaich Chutum.

The hand that smites the earth unfailing feels the sting;
So perish they who nurse their wrath as noble thing

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.

Tamil Transliteration
Sinaththaip Porulendru Kontavan Ketu
Nilaththaraindhaan Kaipizhaiyaa Thatru.

Though men should work thee woe, like touch of tongues of fire
'Tis well if thou canst save thy soul from burning ire

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.

Tamil Transliteration
Inareri Thoivanna Innaa Seyinum
Punarin Vekulaamai Nandru.

If man his soul preserve from wrathful fires,
He gains with that whate'er his soul desires

Explanation
If a man never indulges anger in his heart, he will at once obtain whatever he has thought of.

Tamil Transliteration
Ulliya Thellaam Utaneydhum Ullaththaal
Ullaan Vekuli Enin.

Men of surpassing wrath are like the men who've passed away;
Who wrath renounce, equals of all-renouncing sages they

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).

Tamil Transliteration
Irandhaar Irandhaar Anaiyar Sinaththaith
Thurandhaar Thurandhaar Thunai.