Polity (பொருட்பால்) — Royalty (அரசியல்) — Energy (ஊக்கமுடைமை)

Kural 591:
உடையர் எனப்படுவது ஊக்கம் அஃதில்லார்
உடையது உடையரோ மற்று.
udaiyar enappatuvadhu ookkam aqdhillaar
udaiyadhu udaiyaroa matru
English couplet:
'Tis energy gives men o'er that they own a true control;
They nothing own who own not energy of soul.
Explanation: Energy makes out the man of property; as for those who are destitute of it, do they (really) possess what they possess ?.

Kural 592:
உள்ளம் உடைமை உடைமை பொருளுடைமை
நில்லாது நீங்கி விடும்.
uLLam udaimai udaimai poruLudaimai
nillaadhu neengi vidum
English couplet:
The wealth of mind man owns a real worth imparts,
Material wealth man owns endures not, utterly departs.
Explanation: The possession of (energy of) mind is true property; the possession of wealth passes away and abides not.

Kural 593:
ஆக்கம் இழந்தேமென்று அல்லாவார் ஊக்கம்
ஒருவந்தம் கைத்துடை யார்.
aakkam izhandhaemendru allaavaar ookkam
oruvandham kaiththutai yaar
English couplet:
'Lost is our wealth,' they utter not this cry distressed,
The men of firm concentred energy of soul possessed.
Explanation: They who are possessed of enduring energy will not trouble themselves, saying, "we have lost our property".

Kural 594:
ஆக்கம் அதர்வினாய்ச் செல்லும் அசைவிலா
ஊக்க முடையா னுழை.
aakkam adharvinaaich sellum asaivilaa
ookka mudaiyaa nuzhai
English couplet:
The man of energy of soul inflexible,
Good fortune seeks him out and comes a friend to dwell.
Explanation: Wealth will find its own way to the man of unfailing energy.

Kural 595:
வெள்ளத் தனைய மலர்நீட்டம் மாந்தர்தம்
உள்ளத் தனையது உயர்வு.
veLLath thanaiya malarnheettam maandhardham
uLLath thanaiyadhu uyarvu
English couplet:
With rising flood the rising lotus flower its stem unwinds;
The dignity of men is measured by their minds.
Explanation: The stalks of water-flowers are proportionate to the depth of water; so is men's greatness proportionate to their minds.

Kural 596:
உள்ளுவ தெல்லாம் உயர்வுள்ளல் மற்றது
தள்ளினுந் தள்ளாமை நீர்த்து.
uLLuva thellaam uyarvuLLal matradhu
thaLLinunh thaLLaamai neerththu
English couplet:
Whate'er you ponder, let your aim be loftly still,
Fate cannot hinder always, thwart you as it will.
Explanation: In all that a king thinks of, let him think of his greatness; and if it should be thrust from him (by fate), it will have the nature of not being thrust from him.

Kural 597:
சிதைவிடத்து ஒல்கார் உரவோர் புதையம்பிற்
பட்டுப்பா டூன்றுங் களிறு.
sidhaivitaththu olkaar uravoar pudhaiyampiR
pattuppaa toondrunG kaLiRu
English couplet:
The men of lofty mind quail not in ruin's fateful hour,
The elephant retains his dignity mind arrows' deadly shower.
Explanation: The strong minded will not faint, even when all is lost; the elephant stands firm, even when wounded by a shower of arrows.

Kural 598:
உள்ளம் இலாதவர் எய்தார் உலகத்து
வள்ளியம் என்னுஞ் செருக்கு.
uLLam ilaadhavar eydhaar ulakaththu
vaLLiyam ennunhj serukku
English couplet:
The soulless man can never gain
Th' ennobling sense of power with men.
Explanation: Those who have no (greatness of) mind, will not acquire the joy of saying in the world, "we have excercised liaberality".

Kural 599:
பரியது கூர்ங்கோட்டது ஆயினும் யானை
வெரூஉம் புலிதாக் குறின்.
pariyadhu koorngoattadhu aayinum yaanai
veru-um pulidhaak kuRin
English couplet:
Huge bulk of elephant with pointed tusk all armed,
When tiger threatens shrinks away alarmed!.
Explanation: Although the elephant has a large body, and a sharp tusk, yet it fears the attack of the tiger.

Kural 600:
உரமொருவற்கு உள்ள வெறுக்கைஅஃ தில்லார்
மரம்மக்க ளாதலே வேறு.
uramoruvaRku uLLa veRukkaiaq thillaar
marammakka Laadhale vaeRu
English couplet:
Firmness of soul in man is real excellance;
Others are trees, their human form a mere pretence.
Explanation: Energy is mental wealth; those men who are destitute of it are only trees in the form of men.