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Kural 608

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maṭimai kuṭimaikkaṇ taṅkiṟṟaṉ ṉoṉṉārk / kaṭimai pukutti viṭum.

🎬 குறள் கதை · Story
G.U. Pope1886

“If sloth a dwelling find mid noble family, / Bondsmen to them that hate them shall they be.”

V.V.S. Aiyar1916

“If sloth find a home in a family, the family will soon be in bondage to its foes.”

Modern readingAI draft

If sloth settles in a person responsible for a house, it will place that person in subjection to enemies.

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Parimelazhagar’s commentary

13th century · public domain

Parimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.

மடிமை குடிமைக்கண் தங்கின்= மடியினது தன்மை குடிமை உடையான்கண்ணே தங்குமாயின்; தன் ஒன்னார்க்கு அடிமை புகுத்தி விடும்= தன் பகைவர்க்கு அடியனாம் தன்மையை அடைவித்து விடும்.

Source: Tamil Wikisource

In plain EnglishAI draft · pending review

If sloth takes root in someone born of a noble family, it will drag them down into humiliating subjugation and servitude under their adversaries.