The Kural or the Maxims of Tiruvalluvar/Chapter 16
CHAPTER 16
FORGIVENESS
151. The earth supporteth even those that dig into her : even so bear thou with those that traduce thee; for that is greatness.
152. Forgive thou always the injuries that others may do thee: but if thou forget them, it were even better.
153. The most shameful poverty is the refusal of hospitality: and the greatest strength is to bear with the dullness of fools.
154. If thou want to be grand always, be forgiving unto all.
155. The wise respect not the men who retaliate an injury : but they are prized as gold who forgive their enemy.
156. The joy of revenge lasteth but a day: but the glory of him who forgiveth endureth for ever.
157. Be the wrong suffered ever so great: the better part is not to take it to heart and to abstain from revenge.
158. Conquer by thy nobility those that in their pride have injured thee.
159. More saintly than even those that have renounced are they that bear with the bitter tongue of their detractors.
160. Those that do penance by fasting are great : but they only come after those that forgive their calumniators.
