Shallow Understanding
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ēvavuñ ceykalāṉ ṟāṉṟēṟā ṉavvuyir / pōo maḷavumōr nōy.
“Advised, he heeds not; of himself knows nothing wise; / This man's whole life is all one plague until he dies.”
“Behold the man who neither listeneth to advice nor knoweth for himself what is right: all the days of his life he is a plague to his fellows.”
One who neither heeds wise guidance nor discerns the right path on their own remains a continuing affliction to the world until death.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
ஏவவும் செய்கலான்= புல்லறிவாளன் தனக்கு உறுதியாயவற்றை அறிவுடையார் சொல்லாநிற்கவும் செய்யான்; தான் தேறான்= அதுவன்றித் தானாகவும் இவை செய்வன என்று அறியான்; அவ்வுயிர் போஒம்அளவும் ஓர்நோய்= அவ்வுயிர் யாக்கையின் நீங்கும் அளவும் நிலத்திற்குப் பொறுத்தற்குஅரியதொரு நோயாம்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
One who neither heeds the wise counsel of others nor discerns the right path on their own remains a living affliction and burden to the world until death.