Resolute Effort
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uḷḷa milātava reytā rulakattu / vaḷḷiya reṉṉuñ cerukku.
Rulers without resolve do not attain, in this world, the proud self-regard of being called generous.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“The soulless man can never gain / Th' ennobling sense of power with men.”
“Behold the men that are wanting in energy: the glory of an exhaustless liberality can never be theirs.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
உள்ளம் இலாதவர்= ஊக்கம் இல்லாத அரசர்; உலகத்து வள்ளியம் என்னும் செருக்கு எய்தார்= இவ்வுலகத்தாருள் யாம் வண்மையுடையேம் என்று தம்மைத்தாம் மதித்தலைப் பெறார்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says that rulers without resolve cannot attain the proud self-estimation, among people in this world, of being persons of liberality.