Acting after Deliberation
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teḷivi lataṉait toṭaṅkār iḷiveṉṉum / mētappā ṭañcu pavar
“A work of which the issue is not clear, / Begin not they reproachful scorn who fear.”
“Behold the men who fear to be ridiculed by others: they start not on any enterprise without previous deliberation.”
Those who fear the reproach of disgrace do not begin an undertaking that has not been examined into clarity.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
தெளிவு இலதனைத் தொடங்கார் = இனத்தொடும் தனித்தும் ஆராய்ந்து துணிதலில்லாத வினையைத் தொடங்கார்; இளிவு என்னும் ஏதப்பாடு அஞ்சுபவர்= தமக்கு இளிவரவு என்னும் குற்றம் உண்டாதலை அஞ்சுவார்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Those who dread the disgrace of failure will never embark on an undertaking without first gaining complete clarity through wise consultation and personal reflection.