The Conduct of Affairs
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Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
viṉaipakai yeṉṟiraṇ ṭiṉecca niṉaiyuṅkāṟ / ṟīyeccam pōlat teṟum.
The remnant of an unfinished undertaking and the remnant of an incompletely dealt-with enemy will, on reflection, grow and destroy like a remaining spark of fire.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“With work or foe, when you neglect some little thing, / If you reflect, like smouldering fire, ‘twill ruin bring.”
“Uncompleted work and enemies that are left unsubdued are like unextinguished sparks of fire: they will grow betimes and overwhelm the perfunctory man.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
வினை பகை என்ற இரண்டின் எச்சம்= செய்யத் தொடங்கிய வினையும், களையத்தொடங்கிய பகையும் என்று சொல்லப்பட்ட இரண்டனது ஒழிவும்; நினையுங்கால் தீயெச்சம் போலத் தெறும்= ஆராயுங்கால் தீயினது ஒழிவுபோலப் பின் வளர்ந்து கெடுக்கும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says that what remains of an undertaking already begun, and what remains of an enemy one began to remove, can later grow and cause ruin like a remnant of fire that seemed extinguished. The political enemy claim must not become elimination language for modern people or disagreements; modern scenes apply only the warning about consequential unfinished work.