Not Backbiting
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ētilār kuṟṟampōl tamkuṟṟam kāṇkiṟpiṉ / tītuṇṭō maṉṉum uyirkku
“If each his own, as neighbours' faults would scan, / Could any evil hap to living man?”
“If a man can scan his own faults as he doth those of his enemies, can evil ever come to him?”
If a person could see his own faults as clearly as he sees an enemy's, would any evil ever come to his enduring life?
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
ஏதிலார் குற்றம் போல் தம் குற்றம் காண்கிற்பின் = ஏதிலாரைப் புறங்கூறுவார் அதற்கு அவர் குற்றம் காணும் ஆறுபோலப் புறங்கூறலாகிய தம் குற்றத்தையும் காண வல்லர் ஆயின்; மன்னும் உயிர்க்குத் தீது உண்டோ = அவர் நிலைபேறு உடைய உயிர்க்கு வருவது ஒரு துன்பம் உண்டோ?
Source: Tamil Wikisource
If a person could scan his own faults as sharply as he scans an enemy's, could any evil ever come to his lasting life? The cure for backbiting is simply turning that keen, fault-finding eye inward.