Assessing Enmity
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villē ruḻavar pakaikoḷiṉuṅ koḷḷaṟka / collē ruḻavar pakai.
“Although you hate incur of those whose ploughs are bows, / Make not the men whose ploughs are words your foes!”
“Even if thou challenge the men whose weapon is the bow, provoke not the men whose weapon is their tongue.”
Though one may oppose those who plough with the bow, one should not make enemies of those who plough with words.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
வில்ஏர் உழவர் பகைகொளினும்= ஒருவன் வில்லை ஏராக உடைய உழவரோடு பகைகொண்டான் ஆயினும்; சொல் ஏர் உழவர் பகை கொள்ளற்க= சொல்லை ஏராக உடைய உழவரோடு பகை கொள்ளாது ஒழிக.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
One may risk the enmity of warriors whose plough is the bow; but never provoke the enmity of profound thinkers and writers whose plough is the spoken and written word.