The Absence of Fraud
Alavinkan Nindrozhukal Aatraar Kalavinkan / Kandriya Kaadha Lavar
Classical English couplet — “They cannot walk restrained in wisdom's measured bound,In whom inveterate lust of fraudful gain is found”
What it says in plain words
“People who strongly desire to steal cannot live within honest limits. They want to take what belongs to others.”
The classical Tamil reading
களவு செய்து பிறர் பொருள் கொள்ளுதலில் மிக்க விருப்பம் உடையவர், அளவு (சிக்கனம்) போற்றி வாழும் நெறியில் நின்று ஒழுக மாட்டார்.
An expanded Tamil interpretation
ஓர் எல்லைக்குட்பட்டு வாழ்வைச் செம்மையாக அமைத்துக் கொள்ளாதவர்கள், களவு செய்து பிறர் பொருளைக் கொள்வதில் நாட்டமுடையவராவார்கள்
The ethical and philosophical heart
Living well includes setting limits on what we want and spend. A strong desire to steal makes those limits hard to keep. When we refuse limits, taking someone else's money can seem tempting. Learning to live within honest limits helps us respect what others own.
In personal life, work and society
- Personal
- You save for a new phone instead of stealing one.
- Workplace
- You cut your spending instead of taking money from the cash drawer.
- Family
- You plan a smaller celebration instead of secretly taking a relative's savings.
- Society
- A club keeps its event affordable instead of misusing money collected for local families.
How to apply this today
- Decision-making
- Choose what you can afford without taking from others.
- Integrity
- Leave other people's money alone, even when you badly want something.
- Communication
- Explain honestly when a plan costs more than you can afford.
- Leadership
- Help your team work within its budget without using money meant for others.
- Governance
- Keep public spending within agreed limits, and never take public money for personal use.
For leaders and teams
Show others how to respect limits and others' property. Do not treat a tight budget as permission to steal.
Something to sit with
“What do you want today, and what honest limit could guide your choice?”