Baseness
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eṟṟiṟ kuriyar kayavaroṉ ṟuṟṟakkāl / viṟṟaṟ kuriyar viraintu.
“For what is base man fit, if griefs assail? / Himself to offer, there and then, for sale!”
“What is the resource of the degenerate when misfortune befalleth him? He hath but one, and that is to sell himself as quickly as possible.”
At the first sign of trouble, the base will hastily sell themselves into slavery; what else are they good for?
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கயவர் ஒன்று உற்றக்கால் விரைந்து விற்றற்கு உரியர்= கயவர் தம்மை யாதானும் ஒரு துன்பம் உற்றக்கால் அதுவே பற்றுக்கோடாக விரைந்து தம்மைப் பிறர்க்கு விற்றற்கு உரியர்; எற்றிற்கு உரியர்= அதுவன்றி, வேறு எத்தொழிற்கு உரியர்?
Source: Tamil Wikisource
At the first approach of hardship, the base will hastily sell themselves into dishonorable subservience to save their skin; for what else are they ever fit?