Honour
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kuṉṟi ṉaṉaiyāruṅ kuṉṟuvar kuṉṟuva / kuṉṟi yaṉaiya ceyiṉ.
Even those who stand like a hill are brought low, if they do the things that bring low — even by so much as the weight of one abrus seed.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“If meanness, slight as 'abrus' grain, by men be wrought, / Though like a hill their high estate, they sink to nought.”
“Even men who are grand as a mountain will look small if they do an ignoble thing, though it should be only of the measure of a kunri seed.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
= குன்றின் அனையாரும்= குடிப்பிறப்பான் மலைபோல உயர்ந்தோரும்; குன்றுவ குன்றி அனைய செயின் குன்றுவர் = தாழ்தற்கு ஏதுவாய செயல்களை ஒருகுன்றியளவாயினும் செய்வராயின் தாழ்வர்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Even those who stand like a hill are brought low, if they do the things that bring low, even by so much as the weight of one abrus seed.