The Possession of Decorum
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oḻukkam uṭaimai kuṭimai iḻukkam / iḻinta piṟappāy viṭum
“'Decorum's' true nobility on earth; / 'Indecorum's' issue is ignoble birth.”
“Good conduct bespeaketh an honourable family: but low conduct placeth a man amongst the ignoble.”
Good conduct is the true mark of noble standing; a lapse in conduct drops a person to a lower one.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
ஒழுக்கம் உடைமை குடிமை = எல்லார்க்கும் தத்தம் வருணத்திற்கு ஏற்ற ஒழுக்கம் உடைமை குலன் உடைமையாம்; இழுக்கம் இழிந்த பிறப்பாய் விடும் = அவ்வொழுக்கத்தில் தவறுதல் அவ்வருணத்தில் தாழ்ந்த வருணமாய் விடும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Good conduct is what truly marks a person as nobly born; a slip from it drops them, in effect, to a lower standing. Character — not birth — is the real measure of nobility.