Not Speaking Useless Words
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nayaṉcārā naṉmaiyiṉ nīkkum payaṉcārāp / paṇpilcol pallā rakattu
“Unmeaning, worthless words, said to the multitude, / To none delight afford, and sever men from good.”
“Behold the man that speaketh vain words in an assembly: no profit will come unto him, and all that is good will flee from his side.”
Speaking graceless, useless words before an assembly strips away the speaker's virtues and banishes all goodness from their life.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பயன் சாராப் பண்பு இல் சொல் பல்லார் அகத்து = பயனொடு படாத பண்பு இல் சொற்களை ஒருவன் பலரிடைச் சொல்லும் ஆயின்; நயன் சாரா நன்மையின் நீக்கும் = அவை அவர்மாட்டு நீதியொடு படாவாய், அவனை நற்குணங்களின் நீக்கும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Speaking graceless, useless words before an assembly strips away the speaker's virtues and banishes all goodness from their life.