Learning
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yātāṉu nāṭāmā lūrāmā leṉṉoruvaṉ / cāntuṇaiyuṅ kallāta vāṟu
“The learned make each land their own, in every city find a home; / Who, till they die; learn nought, along what weary ways they roam!”
“Everywhere is his home to the learned man, and everywhere his native land: why then doth a man neglect instruction up to his dying day?”
To the learned, every country is their own country and every town their own town; why then does anyone remain unlearned until death?
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
யாதானும் நாடாம் ஊராம்= கற்றவனுக்குத் தன்நாடும் தன் ஊருமேஅன்றி, யாதானும் ஒருநாடும் நாடாம், யாதானும் ஓர் ஊரும் ஊராம்; ஒருவன் சாம்துணையும் கல்லாதவாறு என்= இங்ஙனமாயின் ஒருவன் தான் இறக்கும் அளவும், கல்லாது கழிகின்றது என்கருதி?
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Since learning makes every distant realm one's own country and every strange town one's home, why would anyone remain unlearned until the day of death?