Abstaining from Anger
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maṟattal vekuḷiyai yārmāṭṭun tīya / piṟatta lataṉāṉ varum
Let anger go, whoever caused it, because every kind of harm can grow from anger kept alive.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“If any rouse thy wrath, the trespass straight forget; / For wrath an endless train of evils will beget.”
“Whoever thy offender may be, forget thy anger: for from anger springeth a multitude of ills.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
யார்மாட்டும் வெகுளியை மறத்தல்= யாவர் மாட்டும் வெகுளியை ஒழிக; தீய பிறத்தல் அதனான் வரும்= ஒருவர்க்குத் தீயன வெல்லாம் உளவாதல் அதனான் வரும் ஆகலான்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar urges the reader to relinquish anger toward anyone, because the many harms that follow arise from keeping anger alive. Relinquishing anger does not erase the event or cancel a just response.