Not Fearing the Assembly
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pakaiyakattup pēṭikai yoḷvā ḷavaiyakat / tañcu mavaṉkaṟṟa nūl.
Learning held by one who fears speaking in an assembly is like a sharp sword held by someone unable to use it amid battle.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“As shining sword before the foe which 'sexless being' bears, / Is science learned by him the council's face who fears.”
“Even as the sword in the hand of the eunuch on the battlefield is the learning of him who is afraid to face an audience.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பகை அகத்துப் பேடி கை ஒள்வாள்= எறியப்படும் பகை நடுவண் அதனை அஞ்சும் பேடி பிடித்த கூர்வாளை ஒக்கும்; அவை அகத்து அஞ்சுமவன் கற்ற நூல்- சொல்லப்படும் அவை நடுவண் அதனை அஞ்சுமவன் கற்ற நூல்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar compares unused learning to a sharp sword held by someone who fears to wield it amid battle. The source uses a historically derogatory gendered term within that ancient comparison; it must not be applied to any modern gender identity.