Against Vain Speaking
Pallaar Muniyap Payanila Solluvaan / Ellaarum Ellap Patum
Classical English couplet — “Words without sense, while chafe the wise,Who babbles, him will all despise”
What it says in plain words
“People lose respect for someone whose pointless talk annoys those listening.”
The classical Tamil reading
கேட்டவர் பலரும் வெறுக்கும் படியாகப் பயனில்லாத சொற்களைச் சொல்லுகின்றவன், எல்லாராலும் இகழப்படுவான்
An expanded Tamil interpretation
பலரும் வெறுக்கும்படியான பயனற்ற சொற்களைப் பேசுபவரை எல்லோரும் இகழ்ந்துரைப்பார்கள்
The ethical and philosophical heart
Pointless talk can leave people annoyed and unwilling to listen. When this happens often, they may lose respect for the speaker. The lesson is to make your words worth hearing. At home or work, choose words that help the conversation.
In personal life, work and society
- Personal
- You stop repeating a pointless story when your friend becomes annoyed.
- Workplace
- You leave out unrelated comments so everyone can finish the meeting.
- Family
- You avoid pointless remarks that annoy others during a family discussion.
- Society
- At a community meeting, you speak about the issue rather than unrelated matters.
How to apply this today
- Decision-making
- Before speaking, ask whether your words will help the discussion.
- Integrity
- Show respect for others by avoiding talk that only wastes their time.
- Communication
- Notice when listeners become annoyed, and return to the point.
- Leadership
- Keep your message useful so people remain willing to listen.
- Governance
- Keep public discussions focused on the matters people came to address.
For leaders and teams
As a leader, respect the listener's time. Pointless talk can weaken the respect others have for you.
Something to sit with
“Where could you replace pointless talk with something more useful today?”