Not Fearing the Assembly
.
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
vakaiyaṟintu vallavai vāycōrār colliṉ / ṟokaiyaṟinta tūymai yavar.
Those of disciplined learning, who understand both the kind of assembly and the ordering of words, do not let fear make their speech falter before a capable audience.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Men, pure in heart, who know of words the varied force, / The mighty council's moods discern, nor fail in their discourse.”
“Behold the men that know how to weigh their words: they will also know how to order their discourse and will not fail before a wise audience.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
வகை அறிந்து வல்லவை வாய் சோரார்- கற்றுவல் அவை அல்லா அவை என்னும் அவையின் வகையினை அறிந்து வல்ல அவைக்கண் ஒன்று சொல்லுங்கால் அச்சத்தான் வழுப்படச் சொல்லார்; சொல்லின் தொகை அறிந்த தூய்மையவர்= சொல்லின் தொகை எல்லாம் அறிந்த தூய்மையினை உடையார்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that speakers who discern the kind of assembly and know the ordered forms of speech will not, through fear, speak amiss in an able learned gathering.