Not Backbiting
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aṟaṉnōkki āṟṟumkol vaiyam puṟaṉnōkkip / puṉsol uraippāṉ poṟai
How does the earth bear, on her body, one who waits till another's back is turned to speak mean words? Perhaps she endures it as her own act of virtue.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“'Tis charity, I ween, that makes the earth sustain their load, / Who, neighbours' absence watching, tales or slander tell abroad.”
“How doth the Earth suffer patiently the tread of the calumniator on her bosom? Is it that she looketh unto Righteousness to rid her of him?”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
புறன் நோக்கிப் புன் சொல் உரைப்பான் பொறை = பிறர் நீங்கின அளவு பார்த்து அவர் பழித்துரையை உரைப்பானது உடல்பாரத்தை; வையம் அறன் நோக்கி ஆற்றும் கொல் = நிலம் இக்கொடியது பொறுத்தலே எனக்கு அறம் ஆவது எனக் கருதிப் பொறுக்கின்றது போலும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
How does the earth go on bearing, on her very body, the person who waits for another's back to be turned and then speaks mean words? Perhaps, Valluvar wonders, she endures even him because patience is her own virtue.