Acting after Deliberation
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eḷḷāta veṇṇic ceyalvēṇṭun tammoṭu / koḷḷāta koḷḷā vulaku
“Plan and perform no work that others may despise; / What misbeseems a king the world will not approve as wise.”
“Let the thing that thou decidest on be above reproach: for the world despiseth the man who stoopeth to a thing that is beneath himself.”
One must deliberate and act by means that do not deserve contempt, for the world will not accept conduct incompatible with the actor's own position and responsibility.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
தம்மொடு கொள்ளாத உலகு கொள்ளாது= அரசர் வினைமுடித்தற்பொருட்டுத் தந்நிலைமையோடு பொருந்தாத உபாயங்களைச் செய்வாராயின் உலகந் தம்மை இகழாநிற்கும்; எள்ளாத எண்ணிச் செயல் வேண்டும்= ஆகலான் அஃது இகழா உபாயங்களை நாடிச்செய்க.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
The world will never accept methods that conflict with one's honour and integrity; therefore, undertake only those well-considered actions that invite no reproach from wise minds.