Polity (பொருட்பால்) — Royalty (அரசியல்) — Ignorance (கல்லாமை)

Kural 401:
அரங்கின்றி வட்டாடி யற்றே நிரம்பிய
நூலின்றிக் கோட்டி கொளல்.
arangindri vattaati yatrae nirampiya
noolindrik koatti koLal
English couplet:
Like those at draughts would play without the chequered square,
Men void of ample lore would counsels of the learned share.
Explanation: To speak in an assembly (of the learned) without fullness of knowledge, is like playing at chess (on a board) without squares.

Kural 402:
கல்லாதான் சொற்கா முறுதல் முலையிரண்டும்
இல்லாதாள் பெண்காமுற் றற்று.
kallaadhaan soRkaa muRudhal mulaiyiraNdum
illaadhaaL peNkaamuR Ratru
English couplet:
Like those who doat on hoyden's undeveloped charms are they,
Of learning void, who eagerly their power of words display.
Explanation: The desire of the unlearned to speak (in an assembly), is like a woman without breasts desiring (the enjoyment of ) woman-hood.

Kural 403:
கல்லா தவரும் நனிநல்லர் கற்றார்முன்
சொல்லா திருக்கப் பெறின்.
kallaa thavarum naninhallar katraarmun
sollaa thirukkap peRin
English couplet:
The blockheads, too, may men of worth appear,
If they can keep from speaking where the learned hear!.
Explanation: The unlearned also are very excellent men, if they know how to keep silence before the learned.

Kural 404:
கல்லாதான் ஒட்பம் கழியநன் றாயினும்
கொள்ளார் அறிவுடை யார்.
kallaadhaan otpam kazhiyanhan Raayinum
koLLaar aRivudai yaar
English couplet:
From blockheads' lips, when words of wisdom glibly flow,
The wise receive them not, though good they seem to show.
Explanation: Although the natural knowledge of an unlearned man may be very good, the wise will not accept for true knowledge.

Kural 405:
கல்லா ஒருவன் தகைமை தலைப்பெய்து
சொல்லாடச் சோர்வு படும்.
kallaa oruvan thakaimai thalaippeydhu
sollaatach soarvu padum
English couplet:
As worthless shows the worth of man unlearned,
When council meets, by words he speaks discerned.
Explanation: The self-conceit of an unlearned man will fade away, as soon as he speaks in an assembly (of the learned).

Kural 406:
உளரென்னும் மாத்திரையர் அல்லால் பயவாக்
களரனையர் கல்லா தவர்.
uLarennum maaththiraiyar allaal payavaak
kaLaranaiyar kallaa thavar
English couplet:
'They are': so much is true of men untaught;
But, like a barren field, they yield us nought!.
Explanation: The unlearned are like worthless barren land: all that can be said of them is, that they exist.

Kural 407:
நுண்மாண் நுழைபுலம் இல்லான் எழில்நலம்
மண்மாண் புனைபாவை யற்று.
nuNmaaN nuzhaipulam illaan ezhilnhalam
maNmaaN punaipaavai yatru
English couplet:
Who lack the power of subtle, large, and penetrating sense,
Like puppet, decked with ornaments of clay, their beauty's vain pretence.
Explanation: The beauty and goodness of one who is destitute of knowledge by the study of great and exquisite works, is like (the beauty and goodness) of a painted earthen doll.

Kural 408:
நல்லார்கண் பட்ட வறுமையின் இன்னாதே
கல்லார்கண் பட்ட திரு.
nallaarkaN patta vaRumaiyin innaadhae
kallaarkaN patta thiru
English couplet:
To men unlearned, from fortune's favour greater-evil springs
Than poverty to men of goodly wisdom brings.
Explanation: Wealth, gained by the unlearned, will give more sorrow than the poverty which may come upon the learned.

Kural 409:
மேற்பிறந்தா ராயினும் கல்லாதார் கீழ்ப்பிறந்தும்
கற்றார் அனைத்திலர் பாடு.
maeRpiRandhaa Raayinum kallaadhaar keezhppiRandhum
katraar anaiththilar paadu
English couplet:
Lower are men unlearned, though noble be their race,
Than low-born men adorned with learning's grace.
Explanation: The unlearned, though born in a high caste, are not equal in dignity to the learned; though they may have been born in a low caste.

Kural 410:
விலங்கொடு மக்கள் அனையர் இலங்குநூல்
கற்றாரோடு ஏனை யவர்.
vilangotu makkaL anaiyar ilangunhool
katraaroadu Enai yavar
English couplet:
Learning's irradiating grace who gain,
Others excel, as men the bestial train.
Explanation: As beasts by the side of men, so are other men by the side of those who are learned in celebrated works.