Not Offending the Great and Powerful
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eriyāṟ cuṭappaṭiṉu muyvuṇṭā muyyār / periyārp piḻaittoḻuku vār
“Though in the conflagration caught, he may escape from thence: / He 'scapes not who in life to great ones gives offence.”
“Even men who are caught in a conflagration may escape alive: but there is no safety for men who wrong the mighty ones.”
Though burned by raging fire, one may still survive; but those who offend the great will never escape.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
எரியால் சுடப்படினும் உய்வு உண்டாம்= காட்டிடைச் சென்றான் ஒருவன் ஆண்டைத் தீயாற்சுடப்பட்டான்ஆயினும் ஒருவாற்றான் உயிர் உய்தல்கூடும்; பெரியார்ப் பிழைத்து ஒழுகுவார் உய்யார்= தவத்தாற் பெரியாரைப் பிழைத்து ஒழுகுவார் எவ்வாற்றானும் உயிருய்யார்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
One may survive even after being burned by a raging fire; but those who offend the great and conduct themselves with contempt will never escape ruin.