ஏதும் இல்லாத ஏழையாய் இருக்கிறோமோ என எண்ணி, ஐம்புலன் ஆசைகளையும் வென்ற பேர் அறிஞர், பிறர் பொருளைக் கவரமாட்டார்.

புலனடக்கம் வாய்ந்த தூயவர், வறுமையில் வாடும் நிலையிலேகூடப் பிறர் பொருளைக் கவர்ந்திட விரும்ப மாட்டார்

ஐம்புலன்களையும் வென்ற குற்றமில்லாத அறிவை உடையவர், யாம் வறுமை அடைந்தோம் என்று எண்ணியும் பிறர் பொருளை விரும்பார்‌.

The wise who have conquered their senses and are free from crime, will not covet (the things of others), with the thought "we are destitute."

This Kural verse 174 discusses the virtue of conquering one's senses and abstaining from desiring what belongs to others. It emphasizes that those who have mastered their senses and are devoid of wrongdoing would not covet other people's possessions, even in a state of destitution. The verse essentially presents a profound moral principle that highlights the strength of character. It implies that true wisdom is not just about intellectual knowledge, but it also involves self-control, moral integrity, and the ability to resist the temptation of covetousness. It underlines that even in the face of extreme poverty, the wise and virtuous will not succumb to the lure of ill-gotten gains. The verse also underscores the importance of contentment and acceptance of one's circumstances. It suggests that one's circumstances, however dire they might be, should not be a reason or an excuse to covet or seize what rightfully belongs to others. In essence, this verse upholds the virtue of self-restraint, moral uprightness, and contentment, and denounces the act of desiring other's possessions, indicating that such actions are not the characteristics of the truly wise and virtuous.