Thirukkural-On Wealth-On Ignorance-Kural-408

Poverty in men of learning is surely better,
But far worse are riches with the ignorant.

My translation is based to some extent on V V S Iyer"s. It is part of the tragedy of life that the learned continue to be poor, while the ignorant accumulate riches far beyond their deserts.

Valluvar has categorically stated in this Kural that riches in the hands of the ignorant will spoil them and spell their own ruin, and what is worse, also do harm to others around them in the environment. But the learned men, even in the midst of their undeserved adversity, will keep to their values and will only go all out to do what good they can do to others in their neighbourhood.

Rajaji would have it that the poverty of the learned and the wealth of the ignorant are both misfortunes. But the former cannot cause real harm to the spirit of the learned, while the latter poses a definite hazard to the rest of the world too.

Two meaningful passages from naladiar and Pazhamozhi are relevant here.
“Yeri neer perungkadal yetihi irundhum
Aruneerchch sirukinatru ooralpaarth thunbar
Marumai ariyaadhaan aakaththir saanroar
Kalil kuravae thalai" (Naaladiyaar, 275)

“Siriyavar yeithiya selvathin maanap
Paeriyavar nalkuravu nanrae" (Pazhamozhi, 70)