Shame and Self-Respect
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nāṇā luyirait tuṟappa ruyirpporuṭṭā / ṉāṇṭuṟavār nāṇāḷ pavar.
“The men of modest soul for shame would life an offering make, / But ne'er abandon virtuous shame for life's dear sake.”
“Behold the men that have a delicate sense of shame: they will renounce their lives to save themselves from a disgrace, but will not swallow their shame even in order to save their lives.”
Those who live for honor will sacrifice life for conscience; they will never abandon conscience for life.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
நாண் ஆள்பவர்= நாணினது சிறப்பறிந்து அதனை விடாது ஒழுகுவார்; நாணால் உயிரைத் துறப்பர்= அந்நாணும் உயிரும் தம்முள் மாறாயவழி, நாண் சிதையாமற்பொருட்டு உயிரை நீப்பர்; உயிர்ப்பொருட்டு நாண் துறவார்= உயிர் சிதையாமற் பொருட்டு நாணினை நீக்கார்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Those who cherish moral conscience will readily sacrifice their physical life to keep honor intact; they will never sacrifice honor merely to preserve their life.
This verse is in tension
AI draft · pending scholar review