# XCIX: Worth explained — The Kural > Chapter companion for The Kural by Thiruvalluvar. ## What happens This chapter extols the virtue of worth or noble character, defining it through duties, inner comeliness, and five pillars: love, shame, complaisance, indulgence, and truthfulness. It contrasts saintly non-killing with the worthy's abstention from scandal, emphasizes humility as strength, and declares that true worth acknowledges superiority in inferiors, does good to injurers, and remains steadfast amid universal change. ## Themes in this chapter ### Virtue and Righteousness The chapter defines worth through virtuous conduct, including love, truthfulness, humility, and doing good to enemies. ### Social Harmony and Ethics Worth is portrayed as a social pillar, with pillars of character supporting noble conduct and acknowledging superiority in others. ## Character check-ins ### the Kural The chapter is a direct excerpt from the Kural, expounding on the nature of worth. ## Key lines > The comeliness of the worthy is the comeliness of their character: the comeliness of the body addeth nothing to their comeliness. A person's true beauty lies in their moral character, not in physical appearance. _Emphasizes inner virtue over outer form._ > Love to all, sensibility to shame, complaisance, indulgence to the faults of others, and truthfulness, these five are the pillars that support the edifice of a noble character. Universal love, a sense of shame, agreeableness, forgiveness, and honesty are the five foundations of a good character. _Lists the core virtues that uphold worth._ > Poverty is no disgrace to a man if he possesseth the wealth that is called character. Being poor is not shameful if one has the riches of a good character. _Contrasts material poverty with moral wealth._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_kural_se/chapters/xcix-worth - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_kural_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_kural_se/chapters