Not Fearing the Assembly
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vāḷoṭeṉ vaṉkaṇṇa rallārkku nūloṭe / ṉuṇṇavai yañcu pavarkku.
What use is a sword to one without the courage to wield it? Likewise, what use are books to one who fears a subtle learned assembly?
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“To those who lack the hero's eye what can the sword avail? / Or science what, to those before the council keen who quail?”
“What have they to do with swords, those who have no mettle in them? and what have they to do with books, those who are afraid to face the assembly of the wise?”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
வன் கண்ணர் அல்லார்க்கு வாளொடு என்= வன்கண்மை உடையர் அல்லாதார்க்கு வாளோடு என்ன இயைபு உண்டு? நுண்ணவை அஞ்சுபவர்க்கு நூலொடு என்= அதுபோல நுண்ணியாரது அவையை அஞ்சுவார்க்கு நூலோடு என்ன இயைபு உண்டு?
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar asks what fit a sword has with one lacking courage, and by analogy what fit books have with one who fears an assembly of subtle, learned people.