Courtesy and Consideration
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nakalvalla rallārkku māyiru ñālam / pakalumpāṟ paṭṭaṉ ṟiruḷ.
For those who cannot mingle with anybody and be glad within, this vast and mighty world lies in the portion of darkness even at midday.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“To him who knows not how to smile in kindly mirth, / Darkness in daytime broods o'er all the vast and mighty earth.”
“Behold the men who cannot smile: in all the wide, wide world they will see nothing but darkness even during the day.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
நகல் வல்லர் அல்லார்க்கு= பண்பின்மையான் ஒருவரோடும் கலந்து உள் மகிழ்தல் மாட்டாதார்க்கு; மாயிரு ஞாலம் பகலும் இருட்பால் பட்டன்று= மிகவும் பெரிய ஞாலம், இருளில்லாத பகற்பொழுதினும் இருளின்கண் கிடந்தாம்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
For those who cannot mingle with anybody and be glad within, this vast and mighty world lies in the portion of darkness even at midday.