Avoiding Faults
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tiṉaittuṇaiyāṅ kuṟṟam variṉum paṉaittuṇaiyāk / koḷvar paḻināṇu vār
Those who are ethically ashamed of blameworthy conduct regard even a millet-sized fault in themselves as though it were palm-sized.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Though small as millet-seed the fault men deem; / As palm tree vast to those who fear disgrace 'twill seem.”
“Behold the men who are jealous of their reputation: though their fault be small even like a millet seed, they look upon it as of the measure of a palmyra tree.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பழி நாணுவார்= பழியை அஞ்சுவார்; தினைத்துணையாம் குற்றம் வரினும் பனைத் துணையாக் கொள்வர்= தங்கண் திணையளவாம் குற்றம் வந்ததாயினும் அதனை அவ்வளவாகவன்றிப் பனையின் அளவாகக் கொள்வர்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar intensifies the scale: people who fear deserved blame treat their own millet-sized fault as palm-sized. The enlargement expresses vigilance and prompt accountability, not a factual claim that every mistake is catastrophic. It must not become toxic shame, perfectionism, obsessive checking, public humiliation, or a total judgment on a person's character.