The Poem “ If ” by Rudyard Kipling — Paraphrasing, Central Idea, Summary (12h Class

12th class Poem " If "

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

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Original Readings

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream and not make dreams your master;

If you can think and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!

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Stanza-1

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

Simple and easy paraphrasing of stanza-1:

If you can stay calm when everyone around you is losing their self-control and blaming you; If you can believe yourself when others doubt you and understand their doubts; If you can be patient without getting frustrated; avoid lying even when lied to; and resist hating even if you're hated; and still avoid acting too perfect or sounding too wise:

Stanza-2

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

Simple and easy paraphrasing of stanza-2:

If you can dream without letting your dreams control you; if you can think without letting thoughts take over; if you can face both success and failure and treat them equally; if you can handle hearing your words twisted by dishonest people to trick others; or see something you worked hard for fall apart and still gather the strength to rebuild it, even with old, worn-out tools:

Stanza-3

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

Simple and easy paraphrasing of stanza-3:

If you can gather all your successes and risk them all in one chance; and if you lose and then start over without complaining about your loss; if you can push your heart, nerves, and muscles to keep going long after they're exhausted; and keep holding on when you feel you have nothing left except your determination to keep going:

Stanza-4

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!

Simple and easy paraphrasing of stanza-4:

If you can stay true to yourself when talking to crowds, and stay humble even when you're with important people; if neither enemies nor friends can hurt you; and if you value everyone but don't depend on anyone too much; if you can make the most of every minute by giving it your best effort; then the world and everything in it will be yours; and even more importantly—you’ll truly be a mature person, my son!

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The Summary of the Poem “ If ” by Rudyard Kipling

In Rudyard Kipling's poem *"If,"* the speaker offers advice on how to develop into a strong, wise, and mature person. The poem highlights important virtues such as staying calm under pressure, trusting yourself when others doubt you, and remaining patient. It advises against responding to lies or hate with the same behavior and encourages balancing dreams with realistic thinking. The poem emphasizes resilience, especially in the face of failure, urging you to rebuild after losses and keep pushing forward with determination. Finally, it stresses the importance of humility, treating everyone equally, and making the most of every moment. By following these principles, one can achieve greatness and become a truly mature and admirable person.

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The Central Idea of the poem “ If ” by Rudyard Kipling

Central Idea No. 1:

The central idea of Rudyard Kipling's poem *"If"* is about the qualities and virtues needed to live a successful and fulfilling life. The poem advises maintaining self-control, confidence, patience, and integrity in challenging situations. It emphasizes resilience, determination, humility, and the ability to treat both success and failure equally. By following these principles, a person can achieve not only material success but also personal growth and maturity, ultimately becoming a true and complete individual.

Central Idea No. 2:

The central idea of *"If"* by Rudyard Kipling is about the qualities needed to become a mature, responsible, and successful person. The poem emphasizes the importance of staying calm under pressure, believing in yourself while understanding others' doubts, being patient, truthful, and avoiding hatred. It encourages balancing dreams with reality, treating both success and failure equally, and having the strength to rebuild after setbacks. The poem highlights resilience, determination, humility, and the ability to make the most of every moment. If one can embody these virtues, they will achieve personal success and maturity.