Not Coveting Another's Wife
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piṟaṉporuḷāḷ peṭṭoḻukum pētaimai ñālattu / aṟamporuḷ kaṇṭārkaṇ il
“Who laws of virtue and possession's rights have known, / Indulge no foolish love of her by right another's own.”
“Behold the men whose eyes are turned towards righteousness and towards wealth: they commit not the folly of desiring another man's wife.”
The folly of desiring another man's wife is never found in those who have truly understood virtue and right living.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பிறன் பொருளாள் பெட்டு ஒழுகும் பேதைமை = பிறனுக்குப் பொருளாம் தன்மையை உடையாளைக் காதலித்து ஒழுகுகின்ற அறியாமை; ஞாலத்து அறம் பொருள் கண்டார்கண் இல் = ஞாலத்தின்கண் அறநூலையும் பொருள்நூலையும் ஆராய்ந்து அறிந்தார்மாட்டு இல்லை.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
The foolishness of coveting and pursuing a woman who belongs to another is simply not found in those who have truly understood the books of virtue (aram) and of right living (porul). Real wisdom and this folly cannot coexist.