Eloquence
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iṇarūḻttu nāṟā malaraṉaiyar kaṟṟa / tuṇara viritturaiyā tār.
Those unable to unfold what they learned so another can understand are like clustered blossoms that give no fragrance.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Like scentless flower in blooming garland bound / Are men who can't their lore acquired to other's ears expound.”
“Behold the men who cannot expound unto others the knowledge that they have acquired: they are like unto the flower that blossometh but giveth forth no fragrance.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கற்றது உணர விரித்து உரையாதார்= கற்றுவைத்த நூலைப் பிறரறியும் வண்ணம் விரித்துரைக்க மாட்டாதவர்; இணர் ஊழ்த்தும் நாறா மலர் அனையர்= கொத்தின்கண்ணே மலர்ந்து வைத்தும் நாறாத பூவை ஒப்பர்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar compares those unable to explain their learning so others understand it to clustered flowers without fragrance.