Honour
.
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
perukkattu vēṇṭum paṇital ciṟiya / curukkattu vēṇṭu muyarvu.
When wealth is at the full, bowing is what is required; when means have shrunk to little, what is required is height.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Bow down thy soul, with increase blest, in happy hour; / Lift up thy heart, when stript of all by fortune's power.”
“Cultivate modesty in the day of prosperity: but in the day of thy decline hold fast to thy dignity.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பெருக்கத்துப் பணிதல் வேண்டும்= குடிப்பிறந்தார்க்கு நிறைந்த செல்வம் உளதாயவழி யாவர்மாட்டும் பணிவு வேண்டும்; சிறிய சுருக்கத்து உயர்வு வேண்டும்= குறைந்த நல்குரவு உளதாயவழிப் பணியாமை வேண்டும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
When wealth is at the full, bowing is what is required; when means have shrunk to little, what is required is height.