Lack of Learning
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kallātāṉ coṟkā muṟutaṉ mulaiyiraṇṭu / millātāḷ peṇkāmuṟ ṟaṟṟu
“Like those who doat on hoyden's undeveloped charms are they, / Of learning void, who eagerly their power of words display.”
“Behold the man without learning who desireth to be called eloquent: he is like unto a woman without busts who yearneth to be admired of men.”
An unlearned person's desire to speak with authority before an assembly is like someone longing for womanhood without the natural marks of it.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கல்லாதான் சொல் காமுறுதல்= கல்வி இல்லாதான் ஒருவன் அவையின்கண் ஒன்று சொல்லுதலை அவாவுதல்; முலை இரண்டும் இல்லாதாள் பெண் காமுற்றற்று= இயல்பாகவே முலையிரண்டும் இல்லாதாள் ஒருத்தி பெண்மையை அவாவினாற் போலும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
An unlearned person's ambitious longing to speak eloquently in an assembly is like a woman without natural feminine grace vainly longing for womanhood.