Greatness
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paṇiyumā meṉṟum perumai ciṟumai / yaṇiyumān taṉṉai viyantu.
Greatness always bows; smallness always decks itself out, in admiration of itself — and the commentary adds that the first happens when the grounds are there and the second when they are not.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Greatness humbly bends, but littleness always / Spreads out its plumes, and loads itself with praise.”
“Greatness is ever unpretending and modest: but littleness vaunteth its merits before all the world.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பெருமை என்றும் பணியுமாம்= பெருமையுடையார், அச்சிறப்பு உண்டாய ஞான்றும் தருக்கின்றி அமைந்தொழுகுவர்; சிறுமை (என்றும்) தன்னை வியந்து அணியுமாம்= மற்றைச் சிறுமையுடையார் அஃது இல்லாத ஞான்றும் தம்மை வியந்து புனையாநிற்பர்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Greatness always bows; smallness always decks itself out in admiration of itself. (That greatness bows even where the grounds are present, and smallness decks itself even where they are absent, is Parimelazhagar's reading.)