Following a Wife's Direction
.
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
illāḷai yañcuvā ṉañcumaṟ ṟeññāṉṟu / nallārkku nalla ceyal.
In its ancient patriarchal frame, the couplet says: a man who fears his wife will always fear doing good for good people.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Who quakes before his wife will ever tremble too, / Good deeds to men of good deserts to do.”
“The man who feareth his wife will never have the courage to do a service even to the worthy.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
இல்லாளை அஞ்சுவான்= தன்மனையாளை அஞ்சுவான்; நல்லார்க்கு நல்லசெயல் எஞ்ஞான்றும் அஞ்சும்= தான்தேடிய பொருளேயாயினும், அதனால் நல்லார்க்கு நல்லனசெய்தலை எஞ்ஞான்றும் அஞ்சாநிற்கும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that a man who fears his wife will always fear doing good for good people even with wealth he earned himself. This belongs to an ancient patriarchal model of marriage and must not become a modern accusation that wives oppose generosity. If coercive control restricts anyone's ethical help today, the controlled person deserves rights, consent, safety, and restored choice rather than blame.