Courtesy and Consideration
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paṇpuṭaiyārp paṭṭuṇ ṭulaka matuviṉṟēṉ / maṇpukku māyvatu maṉ.
Because it rests in those who have the quality, the way of the world goes on; were it not to rest there, it would sink into the earth and be lost.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“The world abides; for 'worthy' men its weight sustain. / Were it not so, 'twould fall to dust again.”
“The world goeth on smoothly because of the men of good-breeding: verily, but for them all this harmony would be dead and buried in the dust.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பண்பு உடையார்ப் பட்டு உலகம் உண்டு= பண்பு உடையார்கண்ணே படுதலால், உலகியல் எஞ்ஞான்றும் உண்டாய் வாராநின்றது; இன்றேல், அது மண்புக்கு மாய்வது மன்= ஆண்டுப் படுதல் இல்லையாயின், அது மண்ணின்கண் புக்கு மாய்ந்து போவதாம்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Because it rests in those who have the quality, the way of the world goes on. Were it not to rest there, the world would sink into the earth and be lost.