Poverty
Narporul Nankunarndhu Sollinum Nalkoorndhaar / Sorporul Sorvu Patum
Classical English couplet — “Though deepest sense, well understood, the poor man's words convey,Their sense from memory of mankind will fade away”
What it says in plain words
“People may ignore a poor person's words, even when they are wise and clear. Good ideas go unused because others overlook the person speaking.”
The classical Tamil reading
நல்ல நூற் பொருளை நன்றாக உணர்ந்து எடுத்துச் சொன்னப் போதிலும் வறியவர் சொன்ன சொற்பொருள் கேட்பார் இல்லாமல் பயன்படாமல் போகும்.
An expanded Tamil interpretation
அரிய பல் நூல்களின் கருத்துகளையும் ஆய்ந்துணர்ந்து சொன்னாலும், அதனைச் சொல்பவர் வறியவராக இருப்பின் அக்கருத்து எடுபடாமற் போகும்
The ethical and philosophical heart
Someone with little money may understand a subject very well. Yet others may dismiss their words because they are poor. The problem is judging ideas by the speaker's wealth, not the ideas themselves. When nobody listens, useful knowledge goes to waste.
In personal life, work and society
- Personal
- You listen carefully when a friend with little money offers useful advice.
- Workplace
- A manager considers a low-paid worker's clear suggestion for reducing waste.
- Family
- A family takes a poorer relative's well-explained advice seriously.
- Society
- A town listens when residents with little money explain local problems.
How to apply this today
- Decision-making
- Judge advice by its sense, not by the speaker's money.
- Integrity
- Give a sound idea credit, even when its speaker is poor.
- Communication
- Listen fully before dismissing someone who has less money.
- Leadership
- Invite people with little money to share what they know.
- Governance
- Consider useful suggestions from poorer residents when planning public services.
For leaders and teams
Help your group value ideas over wealth when listening to others. Make room for poorer people whose useful advice might otherwise go unheard.
Something to sit with
“Whose ideas could you listen to more carefully, regardless of how much money they have?”