Virtue (அறத்துப்பால்) — Domestic Virtue (இல்லறவியல்) — The Possession of Self-restraint (அடக்கமுடைமை)

Kural 121:
அடக்கம் அமரருள் உய்க்கும் அடங்காமை
ஆரிருள் உய்த்து விடும்.
adakkam amararuL uykkum adangaamai
aariruL uyththu vidum
English couplet:
Control of self does man conduct to bliss th' immortals share;
Indulgence leads to deepest night, and leaves him there
Explanation: Self-control will place (a man) among the Gods; the want of it will drive (him) into the thickest darkness (of hell)

Kural 122:
காக்க பொருளா அடக்கத்தை ஆக்கம்
அதனினூஉங் கில்லை உயிர்க்கு.
kaakka poruLaa adakkaththai aakkam
adhaninoounG killai uyirkku
English couplet:
Guard thou as wealth the power of self-control;
Than this no greater gain to living soul
Explanation: Let self-control be guarded as a treasure; there is no greater source of good for man than that

Kural 123:
செறிவறிந்து சீர்மை பயக்கும் அறிவறிந்து
ஆற்றின் அடங்கப் பெறின்.
seRivaRindhu seermai payakkum aRivaRindhu
aatrin adangap peRin
English couplet:
If versed in wisdom's lore by virtue's law you self restrain
Your self-repression known will yield you glory's gain
Explanation: Knowing that self-control is knowledge, if a man should control himself, in the prescribed course, such self-control will bring him distinction among the wise

Kural 124:
நிலையின் திரியாது அடங்கியான் தோற்றம்
மலையினும் மாணப் பெரிது.
nilaiyin thiriyaadhu adangiyaan thoatram
malaiyinum maaNap peridhu
English couplet:
In his station, all unswerving, if man self subdue,
Greater he than mountain proudly rising to the view
Explanation: More lofty than a mountain will be the greatness of that man who without swerving from his domestic state, controls himself

Kural 125:
எல்லார்க்கும் நன்றாம் பணிதல் அவருள்ளும்
செல்வர்க்கே செல்வம் தகைத்து.
ellaarkkum nandraam paNidhal avaruLLum
selvarkkae selvam thakaiththu
English couplet:
To all humility is goodly grace; but chief to them
With fortune blessed, -'tis fortune's diadem
Explanation: Humility is good in all; but especially in the rich it is (the excellence of) higher riches

Kural 126:
ஒருமையுள் ஆமைபோல் ஐந்தடக்கல் ஆற்றின்
எழுமையும் ஏமாப் புடைத்து
orumaiyuL aamaipoal aindhatakkal aatrin
ezhumaiyum Emaap pudaiththu
English couplet:
Like tortoise, who the five restrains
In one, through seven world bliss obtains
Explanation: Should one throughout a single birth, like a tortoise keep in his five senses, the fruit of it will prove a safe-guard to him throughout the seven-fold births.

Kural 127:
யாகாவா ராயினும் நாகாக்க காவாக்கால்
சோகாப்பர் சொல்லிழுக்குப் பட்டு.
yaakaavaa raayinum naakaakka kaavaakkaal
soakaappar sollizhukkup pattu
English couplet:
Whate'er they fail to guard, o'er lips men guard should keep;
If not, through fault of tongue, they bitter tears shall weep
Explanation: Whatever besides you leave unguarded, guard your tongue; otherwise errors of speech and the consequent misery will ensue

Kural 128:
ஒன்றானுந் தீச்சொல் பொருட்பயன் உண்டாயின்
நன்றாகா தாகி விடும்.
ondraanunh theechchol porutpayan uNtaayin
nandraakaa thaaki vidum
English couplet:
Though some small gain of good it seem to bring,
The evil word is parent still of evil thing
Explanation: If a man's speech be productive of a single evil, all the good by him will be turned into evil

Kural 129:
தீயினாற் சுட்டபுண் உள்ளாறும் ஆறாதே
நாவினாற் சுட்ட வடு.
theeyinaar suttapuN uLLaarum aaRaadhae
naavinaaR sutta vadu
English couplet:
In flesh by fire inflamed, nature may thoroughly heal the sore;
In soul by tongue inflamed, the ulcer healeth never more
Explanation: The wound which has been burnt in by fire may heal, but a wound burnt in by the tongue will never heal

Kural 130:
கதங்காத்துக் கற்றடங்கல் ஆற்றுவான் செவ்வி
அறம்பார்க்கும் ஆற்றின் நுழைந்து.
kadhangaaththuk katratangal aatruvaan sevvi
aRampaarkkum aatrin nuzhaindhu
English couplet:
Who learns restraint, and guards his soul from wrath,
Virtue, a timely aid, attends his path
Explanation: Virtue, seeking for an opportunity, will come into the path of that man who, possessed of learning and self-control, guards himself against anger