Social criticism, the empty boaster
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
मांडे पुर्या मुखें सांगों जाणे मात । तोंडीं लाळ हात चोळी रिते ॥१॥
ऐसियाच्या गोष्टी फिक्या मिठेंविण । रुचि नेदी अन्न चवी नाहीं ॥ध्रु.॥
बोलों जाणे अंगीं नाहीं शूरपण । काय तें वचन जाळावें तें ॥२॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
One can describe fine breads and pastries with the mouth, but the tongue only salivates while the hands remain empty. Such stories without substance are tasteless, like food without salt; they give no nourishment and have no flavor. One who boasts of valor but has no courage in the body: such words, says Tuka, ought to be burned.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
He can describe sweet breads and pastries with his mouth, but his tongue only waters while his hands stay empty. Such talk is flat, like food with no salt; it gives no taste, no nourishment. He knows how to talk, but there is no courage in his body. Tuka says: such words should be burned.
What it means
Tukaram skewers the gap between fine words and real substance. A man can name every delicacy, but naming them feeds no one; the tongue waters while the hands stay empty, and talk without backing is food without salt, all noise and no nourishment. He turns the same blade on boasting: the one who speaks of valor but has no courage in his body produces words that deserve to be burned. The target is the pattern of mistaking eloquence for action, an honest mirror for anyone whose speech outruns their deeds.
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