Acting after Deliberation
திழுக்கு.
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eṇṇit tuṇika karuman tuṇintapi / ṉeṇṇuva meṉpa tiḻukku.
Consider the undertaking and its means before resolving to act; saying ‘we shall think after committing’ is a fault.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Think, and then dare the deed! Who cry, / 'Deed dared, we'll think,' disgraced shall be.”
“Decide not upon any action except after careful deliberation: it is a fool who undertaketh first and sayeth in his heart, I shall think afterwards.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கருமம் எண்ணித் துணிக= செய்யத்தக்க கருமமும் முடிக்கும் உபாயத்தை எண்ணித் தொடங்குக; துணிந்தபின் எண்ணுவம் என்பது இழுக்கு= தொடங்கி வைத்துப் பின் எண்ணக் கடவேம் என்றொழிதல் குற்றம்ஆதலான்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar places inquiry into both the work and its means before the act of commitment. Later monitoring remains possible, but it cannot replace the deliberation required while the initial choice is still open.