Polity (பொருட்பால்) — Royalty (அரசியல்) — Learning (கல்வி)

Kural 391:
கற்க கசடறக் கற்பவை கற்றபின்
நிற்க அதற்குத் தக.
kaRka kasadaRak kaRpavai katrapin
niRka adhaRkuth thaga
English couplet:
So learn that you may full and faultless learning gain,
Then in obedience meet to lessons learnt remain.
Explanation: Let a man learn thoroughly whatever he may learn, and let his conduct be worthy of his learning.

Kural 392:
எண்ணென்ப ஏனை எழுத்தென்ப இவ்விரண்டும்
கண்ணென்ப வாழும் உயிர்க்கு..
eNNenpa Enai ezhuththenpa ivviraNdum
kaNNenpa vaazhum uyirkku
English couplet:
The twain that lore of numbers and of letters give
Are eyes, the wise declare, to all on earth that live.
Explanation: Letters and numbers are the two eyes of man.

Kural 393:
கண்ணுடையர் என்பவர் கற்றோர் முகத்திரண்டு
புண்ணுடையர் கல்லா தவர்.
kaNNutaiyar enpavar katroar mukaththirandu
puNNutaiyar kallaa thavar
English couplet:
Men who learning gain have eyes, men say;
Blockheads' faces pairs of sores display.
Explanation: The learned are said to have eyes, but the unlearned have (merely) two sores in their face.

Kural 394:
உவப்பத் தலைக்கூடி உள்ளப் பிரிதல்
அனைத்தே புலவர் தொழில்.
uvappath thalaikkooti uLLap piridhal
anaiththae pulavar thozhil
English couplet:
You meet with joy, with pleasant thought you part;
Such is the learned scholar's wonderous art!.
Explanation: It is the part of the learned to give joy to those whom they meet, and on leaving, to make them think (Oh! when shall we meet them again).

Kural 395:
உடையார்முன் இல்லார்போல் ஏக்கற்றுங் கற்றார்
கடையரே கல்லா தவர்.
udaiyaarmun illaarpoal EkkatrunG katraar
kataiyarae kallaa thavar
English couplet:
With soul submiss they stand, as paupers front a rich man's face;
Yet learned men are first; th'unlearned stand in lowest place.
Explanation: The unlearned are inferior to the learned, before whom they stand begging, as the destitute before the wealthy.

Kural 396:
தொட்டனைத் தூறும் மணற்கேணி மாந்தர்க்குக்
கற்றனைத் தூறும் அறிவு.
thottanaith thooRum maNaRkaeNi maandharkkuk
katranaith thooRum aRivu
English couplet:
In sandy soil, when deep you delve, you reach the springs below;
The more you learn, the freer streams of wisdom flow.
Explanation: Water will flow from a well in the sand in proportion to the depth to which it is dug, and knowledge will flow from a man in proportion to his learning.

Kural 397:
யாதானும் நாடாமால் ஊராமால் என்னொருவன்
சாந்துணையுங் கல்லாத வாறு.
yaadhaanum naataamaal ooraamaal ennoruvan
saandhuNaiyunG kallaadha vaaRu
English couplet:
The learned make each land their own, in every city find a home;
Who, till they die; learn nought, along what weary ways they roam!.
Explanation: How is it that any one can remain without learning, even to his death, when (to the learned man) every country is his own (country), and every town his own (town) ?.

Kural 398:
ஒருமைக்கண் தான்கற்ற கல்வி ஒருவற்கு
எழுமையும் ஏமாப் புடைத்து.
orumaikkaN thaan-katra kalvi oruvaRku
ezhumaiyum Emaap pudaiththu
English couplet:
The man who store of learning gains,
In one, through seven worlds, bliss attains.
Explanation: The learning, which a man has acquired in one birth, will yield him pleasure during seven births.

Kural 399:
தாமின் புறுவது உலகின் புறக்கண்டு
காமுறுவர் கற்றறிந் தார்.
thaamin puRuvadhu ulagin puRakkaNdu
kaamuRuvar katraRinh thaar
English couplet:
Their joy is joy of all the world, they see; thus more
The learners learn to love their cherished lore.
Explanation: The learned will long (for more learning), when they see that while it gives pleasure to themselves, the world also derives pleasure from it.

Kural 400:
கேடில் விழுச்செல்வம் கல்வி யொருவற்கு
மாடல்ல மற்றை யவை.
kaetil vizhuchchelvam kalvi yoruvaRku
maadalla matrai yavai
English couplet:
Learning is excellence of wealth that none destroy;
To man nought else affords reality of joy.
Explanation: Learning is the true imperishable riches; all other things are not riches.