Shame and Self-Respect
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aṇiyaṉṟō nāṇuṭaimai cāṉṟōrk kaḵtiṉṟēṟ / piṇiyaṉṟō pīṭu naṭai.
“And is not shame an ornament to men of dignity? / Without it step of stately pride is piteous thing to see.”
“Is not the jewel of the worthy their sense of shame? And when a man hath it not, is not his swagger an affliction unto the eye to behold?”
Moral conscience is an ornament to the noble; without it, their proud bearing is an eyesore.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
சான்றோர்க்கு நாணுடைமை அணியன்றோ= சான்றோர்க்கு நாணுடைமை ஆபரணமாம்; அஃது இன்றேல் பீடு நடை பிணியன்றோ= அவ் ஆபரணம் இல்லையாயின் அவர் பெருமிதத்தையுடைய நடை, கண்டார்க்குப் பிணியாம்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Moral conscience is the true crowning ornament of the noble; without that jewel, their stately and proud bearing becomes merely a sickening spectacle to onlookers.