Shame and Self-Respect
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karumattā ṉāṇuta ṉāṇut tirunuta / ṉallavar nāṇup piṟa.
Shrinking from an act because the act is base — that is the shame the good have. The shame of the lovely-browed good ones is another thing.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“To shrink abashed from evil deed is 'generous shame'; / Other is that of bright-browed one of virtuous fame.”
“The blush of the worthy is for action that become them not: it is therefore quite different to the blush of the fair.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
நாணுக் கருமத்தால் நாணுதல்= நன்மக்கள் நாணாவது இழிந்த கருமம் காரணமாக நாணுதல்; பிறதிருநுதல் நல்லவர் நாணு= அஃதன்றி மன மொழி மெய்கள் தொடுக்கத்தான் வருவனவோ எனின், அவை அவரளவல்ல, அழகிய நுதலினை உடைய குலமகளிர் நாண்கள்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Shrinking on account of a base act is what shame truly is. (The couplet says only நல்லவர், good people; Parimelazhagar assigns the other kinds of shame to குலமகளிர், women of family. This project does not accept that division.)