Considerate Regard
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peyakkaṇṭu nañcuṇ ṭamaivar nayattakka / nākarikam vēṇṭu pavar.
Those who seek admirable civility would knowingly drink even poison mixed for them by familiar hands and remain composed.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“They drink with smiling grace, though poison interfused they see, / Who seek the praise of all-esteemed courtesy.”
“Those who desire to be styled the very pink of courtesy will drink off even the poison that hath been mixed for them before their very eyes.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
நஞ்சு பெயக்கண்டும் உண்டு அமைவர்= பயின்றார் தமக்கு நஞ்சிடக் கண்டுவைத்தும் கண் மறுக்கமாட்டாமையின் அதனை உண்டு பின்னும் அவரோடு மேவுவர்; நயத்தக்க நாகரிகம் வேண்டுபவர்= யாவரானும் விரும்பத்தக்க கண்ணோட்டத்தினை வேண்டுமவர்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
The commentary uses extreme hyperbole: seekers of admirable civility would knowingly drink the poison after seeing a familiar person mix it, and remain composed. This is not an ingestion rule. Unknown food, drink, medicine, and unsafe contact should be refused; courtesy may shape the tone while safety governs the decision.